Religion and Theology

There exists a great similarity between the Jainism and the Hindu religion. Jainism started in the sixth century as a result of a reformation movement in Hinduism. The word Jain was derived from Jina, which means Live and let live (Indu, 2010). It is based on the teachings of its founder, Mahavira (Got Questions Ministries, 2010). Jainism broke off from the Hindu religion and started as a reformation movement. Later, it became an independent religion. The number of the Jainism followers is small, as it is only three million Indians (Great, 2010). This essay seeks to discuss the Jainism religion in relation to its differences with the Hinduism religion.

Differences based on the Karma
The karma theory is a central part of Jainism. Karma means the actions or deeds of a person and the results that they bring to the path of the soul. Karma is seen as the law of cause and effect to the soul. For instance, the actions that a person commits today have a great effect on the future happenings or their lives. It is more of what goes around comes around. The final objective of Jainism is to do away with the karma on a persons soul so that the cycle of soul may be brought to an end. When this goal is reached, the soul usually attains all the knowledge and later rests in the heavens forever (Nirvana). The soul is vulnerable to all the effects of the karma. All people who follow the Jainism religion are therefore required to practice the virtues of purity, tolerance, abstention and humility, among others (Indu, 2010).

Though both the Hindu and the Jain religious believe in karma, there are some differences between the two. The differences were brought forward by Mahavira. According to him, the Hindu religion was too restrictive and rigid. The rule in the Hinduism religion was absolute. However, in the Jain religion, the rule of karma is less restrictive and rigid. In Jainism, the practice of the karma rule is more realistic and practical. It does not involve any form of strain by the individuals who practice it (Greatcom, 2010).
The religions perception of the soul is different

Jainism believes strongly in the immortality of the soul. The Ahmisa (non violence) doctrine is also one of their basic doctrines. Unlike Hinduism, Jainism makes the Ahimsa doctrine the first in the five vows that it has (Jhaveri, 2004). According to the Jains, the world is made up of two substances, the matter (ajiva) and the soul (jiva).The soul is considered as valuable and essential. Matter is material, lifeless and evil. All people are covered by matter, as long as the soul is trapped. The aim of the Jainism religion therefore is to liberate the matter from the soul. The philosophical basis views the flesh as being evil because it traps the spirit. If the flesh is evil, the ascetic answer is to release the soul by tormenting the flesh in some manner (Lounsbury, 2006). Additionally, Jainism believes that all material things have a spirit in them. Therefore, by taking life, there is interference with the law of the spirit, hence obstructing evolution. Great importance is placed on purity. The purity of the soul exists when the karma is achieved. On the other hand, the Hindu religion has a belief in the Aatman (individual soul) and Brahman (universal soul). All the creatures go through a birth and rebirth period (Lounsbury, 2006).
Unlike in Jainism, in Hinduism the status of every being in all births is determined by the karma principle. This is only broken by self realization, where the being is said to reach a Moksha or liberation level. The Hindu religion claims that souls do not remain as individuals in the eternal life, but are absorbed in the Brahma (Example Essays, 2010).

The goals of life
The goals of life of the Jain religion are the attainment of the kevala. To attain kevala means the restoration of the glory of the soul through the removal of the covering of karma. According to Jainism, a liberated jiva (soul) has perfect peace, knowledge and purity. On the other hand, a bound jiva has an association with the karmic forces and has got a body. Jainism views the forces of the karma as the ones behind the actual covering of the souls glory. The analogy given is that of a lamp which is fully covered by soot (Jhaveri, 2004). The Hindu religion believes in four aspects of the goals of life. Karma is the first one, which involves seeking emotional and physical pleasure. Artha is the second one, which involves seeking power, wealth and fame. Dharma is related to maturity and age and finally, mokasha is the infinite and real goal of life (Religion, 2010).

Ways of avoiding the accumulation of karma
The Jain religion places great emphasis on a human beings thoughts and processes. The way a person behaves and acts reveals his or her internal thoughts in his or her everyday life. Important in this religion are the actions that result to the thoughts, and not the thoughts. The intentions of the actions that human beings commit lead to the accumulation of the karma. According to the followers of Jainism, one should be very careful on the way he or she thinks, and the contents of his thoughts. Jainism recommends meditation of the twelve thoughts or Bhavnas so as to avoid the accumulation of the karma (Shah, 2010).

The first reflection is Anitya Bhavna, which is the impermanence of the world. Under this reflection, nothing in the world is permanent. Therefore, all men should strive for spiritual values. Asarana Bhavna states that no one is the provider of protection. Therefore, all people are helpless as far as old age, death and diseases are concerned. In Samsara Bhavna, the relationship of the universe is temporary. All the relationships that exist in the world are established by man. Ekatva Bhavna means the isolation of the soul. Here, the soul is not linked to any other object in the world. The issue of being separate is brought about by Anyatva Bhavna, which reveals that the body is a matter, while consciousness is brought about by the soul. The reflection Asuci Bhavna means the impurity of the body, and therefore the emotional attachment that man has to the body is useless.

 The influx of the karma is the Asrava Bhavna, which means that the karma increases due to suffering or enjoyment. The influx of the karma is stopped in the Samvara Bhavna. This helps the followers to achieve spiritual knowledge. Severally, karma needs to be shed if it has evil consequences in the Nirjara Bhavna reflection level. There is a change of the universe in the Loka Bhavna reflection. The real nature of the universe is at this level. In relation to faith, there is the Bodhi-durlabha Bhavna refection level. It helps one to attain knowledge, conduct and faith. Lastly, there is the Dharma bhavna, which is the reflection level and is concerned with the scriptures, true preceptor and religion (Shah, 2010).

Besides the twelve Bhavnas, the Jainism religion has four virtues that it follows. There is the virtue of love (amity) and friendship (Maitri). Pramoda is the next virtue, which is concerned with joy, appreciation and respect. The third virtue is the Karuna, which means compassion and lastly, there is the virtue of tolerance and equanimity, which is referred to as Madhyastha (Shah, 2010).

Avoiding the accumulation of the karma has helped the Jainism followers
The reflections involved in preventing the accumulation of the karma aim at improving the spiritual well being of the Jain followers and are derived from the Jainism teachings. Additionally, they have produced detachment and have led all the Jainism aspirants from the desire realm to the renunciation path. Through practicing these reflections, they have been able to develop the purity of sincerity and thought in the religious practice. The minds of the Jainism followers have been occupied with religious, beneficial and harmless thoughts which develop the spirit (Shah, 2010).

Conclusion
There have been several branches from the Hinduism religion, Buddhism included. Though they all have similar beliefs and practices, they still have their own differences, as the ones portrayed in Jainism religion.