FAQ on Various Topics of Jainsim
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Who is a Shravak? |
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Shravak is male householder who believes in spiritual teachings and listens to the scriptures. |
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Who is a Shravika? |
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Shravika is female householder who believes in spiritual teachings and listens to the scriptures |
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| Arihant Bhagwan |
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Who are the Arihant Bhagwans? |
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Arihant Bhagwans are kevalis or Jinas who have conquered their inner passions and have destroyed their all four Ghati Karmas. |
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Can you name the current Ariahat Bhagwans? |
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1) Shri Simandhar Swami
2) Shri Jugmandhar Swami
3) Shri Bahu Swami
4) Shri Subahu Swami
5) ShriSujitnath Swami
6) Shri Svayamprabh Swami
7) Shri Rishbhanan Swami
8) Shri Anantveerya Swami
9) Shri Suprabh Swami
10) Shri Vishalprabh Swami
11) Shri Vrajdhar Swami
12) Shri Chandranan Swami
13) Shri Chandrbahu Swami
14) Shri Brujandev Swami
15) Shri Iswar Swami
16) Shri Nemprabh Swami
17) Shri Veersen Swami
18) Shri Mahabhadra Swami
19) Shri Devajassa Swami
20) Shri Ajeetsen Swami |
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| Siddh Bhagwan |
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Who is Siddha Bahgwan? |
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Siddha Bhagwa is liberated soul and free from the bondage of any karmas and is bodyless entity. |
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Do Siddhas accumulate karmas? |
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No, Siddhas do not accumulate karmas because they have totally removed the Mohniys karma root cause of accumulating karmas. |
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| Monks and Nuns (Sadhus and Sadhvis) |
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Who are Jain Sadhus (monks)? |
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Jain Sadhu are renounced men who has voluntarily given up the worldly life for the uplift of the soul. They have accepted to follow five major vows. |
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Who are Jain Sadhvis? |
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Jain Sadhvis are renounced women who has voluntarily given up the worldly life for the uplift of the soul. They have accepted to follow five major vows.
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Can you name the vratas of sadhus/sadhvis? |
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Five major vratas (vows) of Sadhus and sadhvies are:
1) Pranatipatavirman Vrat
2) Mrishavadavirman Vrat
3) Adattadanvirman Vrat
4) Maithunavirman Vrat
5) Parigrahavirman Vrat |
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Describe some of the characteristics of sadhu life? |
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They have given up social ties. They accept five major vows. They go for alms and only take limited food. They drink boiled water only. They do pratikraman twice a day. They walk bear feet. All nuns wear white clothes. Some monks were white clothes while some wear no clothes. Digambar monks and nun take food and water once a day and from one place. |
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What is Chaturmas? |
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It is a four months period during the rainy season, when sadhus and sadhvis stay at
one place. |
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Why do Sadhus and Sadhvis observe Chaturmas? |
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During raining season because of plenty of water there are lot more bugs and green vegetation growing. Plus there will be water all over on the ground also. So to avoid, injury to even bugs and insects and vegetable life they stay four months in one place. and that is why they observe Chaturmas. |
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What are the ten spiritual disciplines of a Sadhu? |
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1) Khama (forgiveness)
2) Akinchan (non-attachment)
3) Arjava (straightforwardness)
4) Mardava (humility)
5) Shauch (contentment)
6) Satya (truth)
7) Sanyam (self-restraint)
8) Tapa (austerity)
9) Tyaga (Renunciation)
10) Brahmchrya (celebacy) |
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Describe the life of Sthavar-Kalpi monks. |
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Sthavar-Kalpi wear white clothes, have a Muhapati, have a Rajoharan (holy broom) and carry wooden bowls for accepting the food. They accept alms strictly observing their rules. They stay in an upashraya free from worldly activities. |
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How do a Jain monks and nuns get food (alm)? |
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A Jain Svetambar monks and nuns get food (alm) by begging known as gochari. He/she goes to various houses, and accepts only acceptable food that was not made for them but was made for householders themselves. They take food in a very small quantity from different houses so that the householders do not have to cook more food again. A Jain Svetambar monks and nuns get food twice a day.
A Jain Digambar monks and nuns get food only one time a day. They take food in one place. Monks accept food in standing position while nuns take food sitting down. They do not eat or drink once it is over.
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Who is Acharya? |
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Acharya is a sadhu who is the leader of other sadhus and the sadhvis, and he leads us to the spiritual uplift of the soul, and guides us to the path of liberation.
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Who is Upaddhyay? |
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Upadhyay is a sadhu who has studied the scripture in much detail and teaches other sadhus and sadhvis. |
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| Nav Tattvas (Nine Fundamentals) |
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What are the name of Nine Fundamentals? |
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Nine fundamentals are:
1) Living Beings - Souls (Jivas - Atmas)
2) Non Living Things (Ajivas)
3) Results of Good Deeds (Punya)
4) Results of Bad Deeds (Papa)
5) Inflow of Karmas (Asrava)
6) Bondage of Karmas (Bandh)
7) Stoppage of Karmas (Samvar)
8) Shedding of Karmas (Nirjara)
9) Liberation from Karmas (Moksha) |
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What is meant by the Jiva? |
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Jiva means one which can breathe, regenerate or reproduce, eat and have mind to think, and has consciousness and knowledge, etc. |
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What is meant by the Ajiva? |
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Things which do not have life or qualities like breathing, regenerating, consciousness, knowledge, perception, etc., are known as ajiva or non living things. |
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What does the Asrava mean? |
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We keep busy doing things good or bad and accordingly we accumulate good or bad karmas. The process of inflow of these karmas to the soul is known as ahrava. |
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What does mean by the Moksha? |
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Moksha means liberation or attaining salvation that is when a soul has shed off all of its karmas and thereafter, that soul does not have to go through the cycle of birth and death ever again. |
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| Jiv (Soul-Atma) |
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What is meant by the Jiva? |
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Jiva means one which can breathe, regenerate or reproduce, eat and has knowledge and consciousness, etc. |
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What are the different categories of Jivas? |
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The souls are divided into two categories. Some may describe Jivas in five types also. Some may even describe in two groups Non-moving (Sthavar) and Moving (Tras) Jivas.
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What are the different Jivas described depending upon spirituality? |
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There are two kinds of jivas:
1) The liberated souls, the muktatma, the soul that is bodiless and has been once and for all freed from the bondage of all the karmas and cycle of births and deaths.
2) The non-liberated souls, samsari atma, the soul that has a body and is caught in the bondage of karmas and cycle of births and deaths. |
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What is the paryapti? |
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Paryapti means a special power through which jiva converts matter (pudgal) like food into an energy. |
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Who is a Veetragi? |
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A Jiva who does not have either attachment, or hatred is called veetragi. |
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