Lecture by Dr. Kristi Wiley on "An Introduction to Jainism." In this lecture, the basic beliefs of Jainism will be discussed, including the concept of the 24 Jinas or ¡°Spiritual Victors¡± in our cycle of time, Mah¨¡v¨©ra¡¯s teachings regarding the nature of reality, and the emergence of the four main sectarian traditions: ?vet¨¡mbara, Digambara, Sth¨¡nakav¨¡s¨©, and Ter¨¡panth¨©.
Thursday, November 7, 7:45-9:00 pm
91Ï㽶ÊÓƵ University Building, 2nd Floor Lounge
Free and open to the public
Of the religious traditions with origins on the Indian subcontinent,?Jainism?is the least known in the West.??Jains?comprise less than one percent of India¡¯s population, but the?Jain?community has exerted a powerful influence on Indian culture for more than 2,500 years since the time of Vardham¨¡na Mah¨¡v¨©ra, who was a contemporary of Gautama the Buddha.? Nonviolence (ahi?s¨¡) is at the core of the teachings and profoundly informs?Jain?ethics and practices to this day.
In this lecture, the basic beliefs of?Jainism?will be discussed, including the concept of the 24 Jinas or ¡°Spiritual Victors¡± in our cycle of time, Mah¨¡v¨©ra¡¯s teachings regarding the nature of reality, and the emergence of the four main sectarian traditions: ?vet¨¡mbara, Digambara, Sth¨¡nakav¨¡s¨©, and Ter¨¡panth¨©.? There will also be a discussion of the significance of the five great vows of renunciation (mah¨¡vratas) and the role of friendliness and compassion in supporting these vows, as well as the interactions between the mendicant and lay communities.
Dr. Kristi Wiley has been a lecturer in Sanskrit and South Asian Religions in the Department of South and Southeast Asian Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. Her area of specialty is?Jainism.