JAIL, or Gsor.. See PRISON.
JArNAS is the name of a heterodox sect of the Hindus, numerous adherents of which are found in every province of Upper Hindustan, in the cities along the Ganges. and in Calcutta, but more especially to the westward, the provinces of MOM' and tlarwar being apparently the cradle of the sect. They are also numerous in Guzerat, in the upper part of the Malabar coast, and are scattered throughout the peninsula. They form a large and, from their wealth and influence. an important division of the popu lation of India. The name of the sect means a follower of Jina, the latter being one of the denominations of their deified saints; and as another name of these saints is ..4r/utt, their followers are also called_ Arhutas.
The tenets of the Jainas or .Arhatas are in several respects analogous to those of the Buddhists (see BUDDIIA), but they resemble in others those of the Brahtnanical Hindus. With the Buddhists, they share in the denial of the divine origin and authority of the Veda, and in the worship of certain saints, whom they consider superior to the other beings of their pantheon. They differ, indeed, front them in regard to the history of these personages, but the original notion which prevails in this worship is the same. With the Brahmanical Hindus, on the other hand, they agree in admitting the institu tion of caste, in performing the essential ceremonies called Sanshims (q.v.), and in recognizing some of the subordinate deities of the Hindu pantheon, at least apparently, as they do not pay especial homage to them, and as they disregard completely all those Brahmanical rites which involve the destruction of animal life. It deserves notice, too, that though rejecting in general the authority of the Vedas, they admit it, and quote the Vedic text, if the doctrines of the latter are conformable to the Jaina tenets.
According to their doctrine, all objects, material or abstract, are arranged under nine categories, called tattwas, truths or principles. of which we need notice only the ninth and last, called molaha, or liberation of the vital spirit from the bonds of action—i. e., final emancipation. In reference to it, the Jainas not only affirm that there is such a state, but they define the size of the etnanciplted souls, the place where they live, their tangible qualities, the duration of their existence, the distance at which they are from one another, their parts, natures, and numbers. Final emancipation is only obtained " in the state of manhood (not in that of a good demon or brute), while in possession of five senses, while possessing a body capable of voluntary motion, in a condition of pos sibility, while possessing a mind. through the sacrament of the highest asceticism, in that path of rectitude, in which there is no retrogression, through the possession of perfect knowledge and vision, and in the practice of abstinence." Those who attain
to final liberation do not return to a worldly state, and there is no interruption to their bliss. They have perfect vision and knowledge, and do not depend on worko. See J. Stevenson. The Kalpa Mira and Nava nthea.
The principles of faith, as mentioned before, are common to all classes of Jainas, but some differences occur in the practice of their duties, as they are divided into religious and lay orders, Thai and S reirakas. Both, of course, must place implicit belief in the doctrines of their saints; but the 7ati has to lead a life of abstinence, taci turnity, and continence; he should wear a thin cloth over his mouth, to prevent insects from tlying into it, and he should carry a brush to sweep the place on which he is about to sit, to remove any living creature out of the way of danger; but, in turn, he may dispense with all acts of worship; whilst the Srdvalza has to add to the observance of the religious and moral duties the practical worship of the saints, and a profound rever ence for his more pious brethren. The secular Jaina must, like the ascetic, practice the four virtues—liberality, gentleness, piety, and penance; he must govern his mind, tongue, and acts; abstain, at certain seasons, from salt, flowers, green fruits, roots, honey, grapes, tobacco; drink water thrice strained, and never leave a liquid uncovered, lest an insect should be drowned in it; it is his duty also to visit daily a temple where some of the images of the Jaina saints are placed, walk round it three times, make an obeisance to the image, and make sonic offerings of fruits or flowers, while pronouncing some such formula as "Salutation to the Saints, to the Pure Existences, to the Sages, to the Teachers, to all the Devout in the world." The reader in a Jaina temple is a Yeti. but the ministrant priest is not seldom a Brahman, since the Jainas have no priests of their own, and the presence of such Bralnunnical. ministrants seems to have introduced several innovations iu their worship. In Upper India, the ritual in use is often inter mixed with formulas belonging more properly to the S'aiva and S'akta worship (see Hindu Sects under INnrA), and images of Siva and his consort take their place in Jaina temples. In the s. of India. they appear, as mentioned before, to observe also all the essential rites or Sanskaras of the Brahmanical Hindu. The festivals of the Jainas arc especially those relating to events in the life of their deified saints; but they observe als/ several common to other Hindus, as the spring festival, the S'ripanchaml, and others.