Commemorative Coins Journey of history, that never ends

INTRODUCTION

              Lord Mahavir was the twenty-fourth and the last Tirthankara of the Jain religion. According to Jain philosophy, all Tirthankaras were born as human beings but they have attained a state of perfection or enlightenment through meditation and self realization. They are the Gods of Jains.

            Mahavira was born in a royal family in 599 BC. He was born on the thirteenth day under the rising moon of Chaitra, in the ancient Kingdom of Vaishali, now a district of Bihar state, India. He was known as 'Vardhamana' (increasing). Being the son of King Siddartha and Queen Trisala , he lived the life of a prince; but at the age of thirty, he left his family, gave up his worldly possessions (over the course of a year) and spent twelve years as an ascetic. His birthday is celebrated as Mahavir Jayanti.

             
             After he renounced his princehood, he spent the next twelve and half years in deep silence and meditation and took on the discipline of conquering his desires, feelings, and attachments. He carefully avoided harming or annoying other living beings including animals birds, and plants .He also went without food for long periods. His enduring calm and peaceful character against all unbearable hardships presence the influence of his title, Mahavir (a Sanskrit word, meaning very brave and courageous), given to him by his peers. During this period, Jains believe that he attained keval-jnana, or perfect enlightenment, in which spiritual powers become fully developed. And perfect perception, knowledge, power, and bliss are realized.

            Mahavira spent the next thirty years travelling around India preaching to the people the eternal truth he realized. The ultimate objective of his teaching is how one can attain total freedom from the cycle of birth, life, pain, misery, and death, and achieve the permanent blissful state of one's self, or Moksha, Sanskrit for 'liberation'.

            To liberate one's self, Mahavira taught the neccesity of right faith [samyak-darshana), right knowledge (samyak-jnana), and right conduct (samyak-charitra). At the heart of right conduct or Jains lie the five great vows:

• Nonviolence (Ahimsa) not to cause harm to any living beings
• Truthfulness (Satya) to speak the harmless truth only
• Non-stealing (Asteya) not to take anything not properly given
• Chastity (Brahmacharya) not to indulge in sensual pleasure
• Non-possession/Non-attachment (Aparigraha) complete detachment from people, places, and material things.

            As taught by Mahavira, Jains believe that these vows can not be fully implemented without the acceptance of a philosophy of non-absolutism. Monks and nuns are held to follow these vows strictly and totally, while the common people may follow the vows as far as their life styles will permit. Mahavira attracted people from all walks of life, rich and poor, kings and commoners, men and women, princes and priests, touchable and untouchable.

            Jainism existed before Mahavira, and his teachings were based on those of his predecessors. Thus, Mahavira was more of a reformer and propagator of an existing religious order than the founder of a new faith was.

            Lord Mahavir died at Pawapuri in 527 BC at the age of 72. His purified soul left the body and achieved complete liberation. He became a Siddha, a pure consciousness, a liberated soul, living for ever in a state of complete bliss. On the night of his salvation, people celebrated the Festival of Lights (Dipavali) in his honor.

Written by Prajna Avinash Leister U K