JAI – JINENDRA : the essence of Jain Dharma

Suresh Jain

JAI JINENDRA:. The word Jai Jindera is a mystic word of Jain dharma that has the set of guidelines of real happiness/ liberation within its constitution. Therefore I will first recite Jai Jinera and we will disclose the treasure of knowledge of the Jai Jinedra.

The word ‘JAI -JINENDRA’ consists of three words Jai + Jin + Indedra. Thus the guideline of JAI JINENDRA rests with three words. “JAI +JIN + INDRA”. These three words are symbol of three independent ideologies that is crystallization, ionization, and illuminatization. In brief:

Nine Tattvas (Principles)JAI: Jai word is noun word of HINDI , that convey the sense of victory ‘ JEETO’ at all level. The Jai word passes a message of wining at all level. It is to emphasize that word Jai is also praise to the glory of those great souls who conquered (Tirthankaras). Thus, by reciting Jai Jinedra we get the spirit to win and directly, indirectly try to absorb the greatness of ‘tirthankras- sidhas’ in our selves to achieve the goal human life.

JIN: We are the followers of "Jin" so we are called Jain. "Jin" means one who have triumph over internal and eternal enemies including Karmas They are the Enlightened Souls who have achieved Omniscience (Pure and complete knowledge - all knowing, all seeing, can observe past present and future of the entire universe). They have showed us the true path to achieve salvation.

Jain Dharma teaches that every single living thing is an individual and eternal soul which is responsible for its own actions. It is therefore Jains see their faith as teaching the individual to live, think and act in ways that respect and honor the spiritual nature of every living being to the best of one's human abilities. Jains view, God as an unchanging character of the pure soul, Infinite Knowledge ,Perception, Consciousness, and Happiness (Ananta Gnana, Darshan, Chaitanya, and Sukh). The universe itself is eternal, having no beginning and no end. (Hence, it is said that Jainism is a religious path which does not include concept of a God but treat every single living thing as God. ‘ Mein vah hoon jo hain Bhagwan,”

Six Universal Substances (Dravyas)INDERA: Indera, word refers to the powers that our body uses to obtain information about the world, and to respond to it. These powers of the body have been classified into two: the powers of perception (Gynana-indriya), and the powers of action (karma-indriya). Five powers, of sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch, come under the power of perception, and the ability of the body is expressed in actions through speech, hands, feet, and organs of expulsion and generation comes under the power of action (karma- inderiya).These powers operate through a complex mechanism involving both the body and the mind. Here it too emphasize that the eyes are not the organs of vision, but only the instruments. Unless the organs are also present, we cannot see, even if we have eyes. But, given both the organs and instruments, unless the mind attaches itself to these two, no vision takes place.

So, in each act of perception, three things are necessary—first, the external instruments, then, the internal organs, and lastly, the mind. You must bear in mind that the human body is end product of mind and the word 'organ' is meant the nerve centre in the brain. The eyes and ears are only the instruments of seeing and hearing, and the organs are inside. If the organs are destroyed by any means, even if the eyes or the ears be there, we shall not see or hear. In short, every sense perception is the combined work of a faculty (of perception or action) plus an instrument plus the presence of mind.

Jainism Powerpoint Templates - Jainism Powerpoint (PPT) PresentationEvery sense organ has its fixed area of operation, and it cannot violate it. Ears cannot smell, nose cannot see, eyes cannot hear. All senses have a jurisdiction and they limits cannot transgress it. Though they have these inherent, together, senses produce a full picture. When we say that we 'know' a person, what we mean is that we 'know' his form, 'know' his sound, 'know' his touch, and so on. Suppose any of our sense organs is malfunctioning, our perception too will become faulty or incomplete. Or if we develop an extra organ of perception, our perception of the world will undergo change. Senses are designed to perceive the external world. Here it is to reveal that our world work on the concept of illussion ‘Maya’. It is to emphasize that information about the external world from organs sensory experience are always illusory and mostly fallacious.

For example:
We feel a cooling sensation when we enter a room after walking in the sun. But the same room feels warm in winter. If we touch the forehead of a normal person immediately after washing our hands with cold water, it may feel warm. It is therefore, Physics and chemistry everyday open up newer areas of the illusions cast by sensory experiences and tells us many startling facts about the reality called this world.

The more we proceed in higher physics, the more we discover the falsity of sensory experience. Senses are not only limited in their operation, but they also grow weaker and become dim and dull with aging. That is a natural aging process that ears, eyes, nose and so on decline in their power of perception. Dr Deepak Chopra the world renowned spiritual declares that there is depreciation of sensory organism @ 1% per annum after the age of 30 in normal circumstances and we have to use aids like spectacles, hearing-aids, and so on to enhance our sensory capacities.

It is emphasize that besides the limitations caused by aging, the functions of senses are also governed by the status of mind every sense organ has its specific range of operation. For example, the naked human eye cannot see beyond certain distance, the ear cannot hear beyond a few meters, nose cannot smell a distance flower, and so on. Nor can one hear a sound of very high frequency or low frequency. For every perception, the senses must have the right positioning of the object it perceives.

The Jain Path: Ancient Wisdom for the WestWe said earlier, that the senses provide knowledge of the world. What is wrong about it? Nothing, except that the senses do not provide us a complete answer to the fundamental issues of life. As consequent, senses make us restless and thrive on enjoyment. The things go especially wrong when senses begin to decline with aging, but the desires do not decline and get stronger with the aging. In these circumstances one then feels frustrated and deprived. One feels one should have had more time and energy to enjoy greater amount of objects of senses.

The purpose of controlling senses does not mean harming them but to crystallize, ionize illuminate ‘transcending’ them. One cannot transcend the senses without first controlling them.

The Vedic Grantha declares that senses are the horses yoked to a chariot. The horses can pull a carriage and reach the destination only if they are well trained and properly guided. For this, one should train one’s thinking- mind. When our intellect becomes a slave to our senses, instead of we making the choice about good and bad, senses assume the charge of our life, and dethrone the very purpose of human life.

Senses are in fact the doorways to the inner chamber of the mind which receives and processes the sensory data. Mind becomes strong when the food it consumes through the senses is pure and nourishing .The first step in controlling the senses is to starve them of all bad food, and instead feed them with good food. Whenever we permit our senses to enjoy an object which arouses lower propensities or weakens our mind, we are infact, misusing them. Senses develop a liking for whatever is pleasant and if we deny them those experiences, they revolt. To nourish the mind (antahkarana) means to consume good thoughts—the thoughts that remind us of our divine nature. A mind thus crystallize, ionize, illuminate purified develops an abiding sense of divine presence (steady memory), which, in turn, liberates us from the shackles of limitations.

[JAIN STAVAN] MAHAVIR TARA NAAMNIWhen senses are thus crystallize, ionize illuminated, it brings a transformation in our lives. We are then no longer slave to passing impulses emanating from our sense organs, and instead learn to follow higher wisdom. Human life is not designed to be spent in sense pleasures, though our senses are capable of it within certain limitations. Whereas, other creature have no choice, The creature have one particular sense organ very stronger than others. (For example, moth (machhar) is attracted to light, deer to sound, and elephant to touch, and so on.) But in human beings, all the five senses are equally strong. Thus this situation makes the task of restraining the senses quite challenging and dreadful.

It is matter of great benevolent of the God that human beings have an inherent mechanism to rise above attractions of senses.Whereas, animals have no choice, but to enjoy the sense organs. The secret lies in awakening the internal mechanism which controls and sublimates the craving for sensory pleasures. The more one exercises this, the more pure becomes the purified mind. A purified mind alone can discover the higher purpose of human existence and finally attain it. This does not mean neglecting one’s health or killing one’s senses, but learning to train our senses in such a way that they become our friends instead of becoming enemies.

Thus the Jinendra reciting conveys the message to control and crystallize, ionize illuminate you’re Indriyas (Senses) to follow the path of sidhas that lead the soul to get super bliss Mokshya. The Jain doctrines the JAP -TAP maha Mantra Namokar, and Surya Tapa are the absolute source of crystallize, ionize illuminate the sensory organism. It is therefore every one should always start the communication (both written and oral) with "Jai -Jinendra". In this fashion by admiring the greatness of these Emancipated Souls we get benefited and feel more purified at the same time achieving further victories over our Karmas.

Thus whenever, some one recite ‘Jai -Jinendera’ to you, please try to understand that he is expressing respecting, admiring and appreciate your selves for restraining yourselves from the sensory pleasures to get crystallize, ionize, illuminate the super bliss of divine.

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