Zoroastrianism and Jainism Part 2

Dino is correct!!!
Jainism is best described as the Indian equivalent of Gnosticism.
It is Reincarnation taken to its utter extreme, where not even any god exists (Jainism claims to be Atheistic) but Reincarnation itself is the divine principle of existence.
It is dualism in its purest form; Soul vs Body, separated. Without any other factors involved. Like Einsteinian Physics with Reincarnation thrown in for good measure.
It is all quite beautiful and quite attractive. With one problem though: It is not true. It is not the way the world works.
If we should pick a second alternative of a religion which Zoroastrianism is allligned to, it should be Taoism, which has likely been a confluence between Iran and China in the first place. As is Chan Buddhism.
Jainists are good friends. But if we takew Monism to its logical extreme, they take Dualism to the other extreme. And the fact is that we believe that the world is monist by nature and not dualist.
Wjat Dhalla is writing about, Rory, is not dualism but DUALITY (as in Ohrmazd vs Ahriman or God vs Satan), duality has in itself nothing to do with metaphysics. Think binariy forces instead.
Ushta
Alexander

2010/3/14 Special Kain

Dear Courtney

Jainism stresses that we have to take a spiritual journey inward, whereas Mazdayasna does not set up hierarchical relationships between different interacting factors - the spiritual journey inward that's focused on our mental behavior is in no way superior to or more important than our spiritual journey in the physical world with rocks, mountains, trees and other animals. It is true that both Jainists and Mazdayasni see The Mental and The Physical as the two sides of the same coin, but Mazdayasni are creatively involved in the world out there and not supporting that proto-nihilistic tendency to detach from it. And the doctrine of Asha is 100% monistic.

Ushta,
Dino

--- rory12001 schrieb am Sa, 13.3.2010:

Von: rory12001
Betreff: [Ushta] Re: Zoroastrianism and Jainism
An: Ushta@yahoogroups.com
Datum: Samstag, 13. März, 2010 23:37 Uhr


Alexander or any of the knowledgable people in this forum;
can you explain the difference between Jain and Zoroastrian beliefs in regard to dualism?

I was quite attracted to Jain philosophy due to its strong ethical content after being very disenchanted with Buddhism, which I seriously practiced for about 10 years.
hmm, as to Jain vs. Iranian food, I dont know:) I am veg too.
thanks
Courtney
Yezad, I will check my local university library, they have a very fine collection for South Asia and library loan and then get back to you. Thank you very much.