Question

What were the main teachings of the Mahavira?

Answer 1

Hint:Mahavira was born to a royal Kshatriya Jain family in the state of Bihar and the 24th Tirthankara. He was the son of Siddhartha and mother Trishala.

Complete answer:
Mahavira was originally named Vardhamana born in 540 B.C. and died in 468 B.C. At the age of thirty he decided to leave all the pleasures, comfort and services of his royal life and become a monk in search of peace to eradicate sorrow, pain and sufferings of life. He struggled for twelve years searching for truth, wandering from one place to another. It was believed that he roamed around naked and homeless, without craving for food and water for months, people threw stones, fruits and tried to disturb him but he continued with his meditations. He spent around twelve and half years in order to overcome his desires, feelings and attachments. He believed in not harming any living beings including plants, animals, birds and humans. He was named Mahavira because of his calmness and peace against all odds of life. The word Mahavira means brave and courageous. At the end he attained perception, knowledge, power and bliss known as Keval-Jnana, i.e. Perfect enlightenment.

The major teachings of Mahavira were-
1. Ahimsa which means non-violence- According to him every living being should be respected and no one should be harmed.
2. Satya means truthfulness- He believed that the path of truth should be followed which he applied on himself and others.
3. Asteya which means non-stealing- He taught people not to take anything that is not given back.
4. Brahmacharya means chastity- He taught not to indulge in sensual pleasures of the world.
5. Aparigraha means non-attachment and non-possession- It is referred to as complete detachment from people, places and material things.

Note:He always focused on the freedom of women, rejected Vedas and did not believe in God because he believed the world never ends only changes its form. He also spent thirty years of his life on barefoot because his ultimate objective was to preach for freedom, i.e. Nirvana or Moksha.