Mahavira, Vardhamana The Great Hero

Mahavira (which means "great hero") is the name commonly used for the Vardhamana Jain, the main character of their religious development.
Vardhamana was born around 599 BC in India's northeast, in the same area with Gautama Buddha was born, although first generation. Surprisingly, both the livelihoods of many interesting similarities.
Vardhamana youngest child of a leader, and as well as Gautama gelimang raised in luxury. At the age of thirty, he was away wealth, relatives (he had a wife and a daughter), leaving a comfortable environment, and decided to seek the truth and spiritual fulfillment.

Vardhamana became pastor flow Parsvanatha discipline that although a small but very hard rules. For twelve years he was conducting meditation and thought himself, and during the conduct of moral boundaries and live in poverty papaan. Often fasting, no personal property in any form, not a cup or plate for a sip of water and collect a bite of rice given to me. Although initially there was her dress, but then dicampakkannya and walk around in a state of full body naked. He let his body and crawling insects diusirnya not bite even if the animal's skin. India is where the holy men wandering around, entered the village out of the village, jumped the gutter and the gutter, far more than his compatriots in the West. Although the appearance and behavior of Mahavira often cause people temptations, insults, humiliation and gamparan, yet all been swallowed up and diendapnya and no replies.

When reaching age forty-two years, Mahavira decided that he finally has reached the spiritual brightness. He spent the rest of the age of thirty years of preaching and teaching the spiritual deepening the already achieved. When he closed his eyes in the year 527 BC, he had gained many followers.

In some cases the doctrine of Mahavira is very similar to Buddhism and Hinduism. The Jain believes that if the human body dies, the soul is not me-too die with the body but the switch (reincarnation) to another entity (the human body does not need) The doctrine of this migration is one of the basic schools of thought Jainist. Jains also believe in karma, the doctrine of the ethical consequences of a deed will happen to him also in the future. To reduce the increasing burden of sin from the soul thing, that is purified, is the main goal of the Jain religion. Some of Mahavira taught, this can be achieved by way of the fun away. Special for Jain priests, are encouraged to live with the simplicity of implementing strict. It is a glory if someone let him die of hunger keranting dry!

Aspect, Jain religion is very important is the emphasis on the doctrine of ahimsa or non-violence. Jain confirmed that ahimsa non-violence, including attitudes toward animals and humans. As a result of this belief, they are "vegetarian" or just eat plants, including grass and weeds, when hooked. But, faithful adherents to the Jain religion is to do any further than that: mosquitoes that bite the skin is left at will; let hungry, not going to want to eat in the dark. Is not that dark lest can kemasukkan swallowed a fly or a scorpion? So, if you want to sweep the Jain followers he has a street or yard, he'll reach for the bag to do the wages of others, fear of who knows nginjak insects or worms.

Beliefs of this kind, it is clear Jain adherents are expected difficult moved to hoe the ground. On the ground a lot of ants, gasir, crickets and assorted small animals, is not it? Kegencet they could die that! So the fact is the people of Jain was not engaged in agriculture. And much more hand work that is prohibited by their religion. As a result, the Jain religion can serve as an example of how far things can affect the trust's behavior and way of life for citizens. Although they live in the area of agricultural land, the majority of the centuries old Jain adherents engaged in trade. Jain religious attitudes to encourage them to work diligently. As a result, it is not surprising when people are classified Jain and their participation in the arts and intellectual activities of India and prominent enough.

Origin, religion Jain has no caste system. But, thanks to the interaction constant with the Hindu religion, this system was also developed in Jainism, though not as extreme as Hindus. Similarly, although Mahavira himself did not talk about God or the gods, through such contacts that the worship of the gods appear as well. Because no material written by Mahavira, permeation of Hinduism to Jainism can not be avoided. From the other direction there is also influence the entry, namely the influence of Hinduism Jainism. For example, the rejection of Jainism and killing animals to eat meat appear to affect the Hindu religion. Furthermore, the Jain doctrine of "no violence" has become a sustainable impact in the minds of Indians, even down to modern times. For example, very strong Gandhi influenced by the teachings of Shrimad Rajachandra Jain philosopher (1867 - 1900), which he considered one of his teachers or teacher spirituilnya.

Jain religion did not have followers in large numbers. Now all of them in India is only about 2,600,000. This taste is not a large amount in relation to the world population. But, if the combined number of them in the period between the year 2500, of a large number as well. In this setting the significance of Mahavira, one must take into account the Jain religion, which perhaps more than other religions, had a lasting influence on the lives of adherents.
Michael H. Hart,One hundred most influential figures in the history.