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INTRODUCTION TO JAINISM

Jainism is an ancient religion from India that teaches that the way to liberation and bliss is to live lives of harmlessness and renunciation. The essence of Jainism is concern for the welfare of every being in the universe

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Location: pune, maharasthra, India

When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares

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Thursday, October 06, 2005

JAIN FASTING

Jainism CustomsFastingFasting is very common in Jain spirituality.Most Jains will fast at special times during the year. Although a Jain may take it upon him or herself to fast at anytime, most Jains will fast at special times during the year, at festivals and holy days.The monsoon period (in India) is a time of fasting, and fasting is a feature of Jain festivals.Fasting is more often done by Jain women than men.The aim of fastingJain fasts may be done as a penance, especially for monks and nuns. Fasting also purifies body and mind, and reminds the practitioner of Mahavira's emphasis on renunciation and asceticism, because Mahavira spent a great deal of time fasting.Fasting in mind as well as bodyIt is not sufficient for a Jain simply to not eat when fasting.
They must also stop wanting to eat. If they continue to desire food the fast is pointless.Types of fastThere are several types of fasting:Complete fasting: giving up food and water completely for a period Partial fasting: eating less than you need to avoid hunger Vruti Sankshepa: limiting the number of items of food eaten Rasa Parityaga: giving up favourite foods Great fastsSome Jain monks fast for months at a time, following the example of Mahavira, who is said to have fasted for over 6 months.
Even today there are Jains who fast for over six months like Hira Ratan Manek. Others have fasted for an year like Sri Sahaj Muni Maharaj who completed his record-breaking 365-day fast on May 1, 1998.Fasting to deathSanthara or Sallenkhana is a procedure in which a Jain stops eating with the intention of preparing for death.
This is different from suicide as it is not taken in passionate mood of anger, deceit etc but it is undertaken only when the body is no more capable of serving it's owner as a instrument of sprituality and when inevitability of death is a matter of undisputed certainty. The intention is to purify the body, and remove all thought of the physical things from the mind.
As well as giving up food and water, the ascetic abandons all desires and dislikes so that they can concentrate exclusively on the spiritual as they approach death.One of the most famous and holy sites of pilgrimage for Jains is in Shatrunjaya in Gujarat. PilgrimagePilgrimage plays an important part in Jain life for Digambaras and some Svetambaras, although there are no compulsory pilgrimages (as the Haj is, for example, in Islam).
When lay Jains go on a pilgrimage they take on some of the lifestyle and attitudes of a Jain ascetic (a monk or nun).Jains may visit any number of temples or other locations that are associated with the lives and deeds of the Tirthankaras.One of the most famous and holy sites of pilgrimage for Jains is in Shatrunjaya in Gujarat.
It is one of 5 holy mountains and contains many temples.PrayersJain prayers aren't like the God-focussed prayers found in Christianity. Instead Jain prayers tend to recall the great qualities of the tirthankaras and remind the individual of various teachings.

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