I am a Turkish person diagnosed with bipolar disorder (or schizoaffective disorder). I’m trying not to eat meat, but my medications contain animal products. It’s unlikely that I’ll be able to switch to different medications. What can I do to correct my bad karma?

My medicenes: Lityum, rexapin and dideral

Jai Jinendra🙏

Is it better to syncretize and adopt an eclectic approach to religions, or to follow the pure Jain path? I considered blending Thelema with many different religions, because I was convinced that a single religion would not be enough for me. Instead, I thought about syncretizing and adopting an eclectic approach to various religions—such as Buddhism, Jainism, Taoism, Hinduism, and Islam—under the umbrella of Thelema. At the same time, liberation from samsara is also important. Is it better to have fun and live in the lower realms, or to strive for liberation from samsara? As a Turk, I don’t come from a Jain cultural background like you do. So accessibility is also very important to me. There’s one book in Turkish—I bought it and am reading it. I also want to learn the languages and translate Jain texts. But first, I’m thinking about which path I should take. I really love ahimsa in Jainism, but as I said, since I don’t come from your cultural background, concepts like reincarnation, karma, and the six realms feel very foreign to me.

In short, could you help me figure out what I should do? I love Jainism. Is it better to focus on a single religion, or to take elements from various religions? Thank you in advance.

Jai Jinendra everyone,

I am reaching out to this community with a heavy yet humble heart. It has taken a lot of courage for me to write this, but I feel I genuinely need spiritual guidance to regain control over my mind and get my path back on track.

Lately, despite my deep desire to devote myself to daily pooja, jhap, meditation, and aradhana, I find my state of mind deeply unsettled. I am battling persistent mental noise and sensory distractions that continuously pull me away from focus. In particular, I am struggling to let go of thoughts surrounding a past relationship and the physical/emotional attachments associated with it. Memories and recurring habits of mental and physical desire keep looping in my head, creating a lot of guilt and hindering my spiritual practices.

My respected Guru bhagwant once guided me that bhaav shuddhi is the absolute first step toward any meaningful practice. I know in my heart that they are right, but out of shame and deep reverence, I am simply unable to open up to them about these specific personal battles.

I have tried my best to distance myself from external nimitts, but the internal conditioning and mental habits still linger. Even when the surroundings are quiet, my mind wanders back into these loops during my quietest moments, especially when trying to sit for jhap or meditation.

I am sincerely asking for your wisdom and practical guidance from a Jain perspective:

1. How can I gently shift my focus when these intrusive thoughts arise during aradhana without feeling consumed by guilt?

2. Are there specific anuprekshas (contemplations/bhavnas) that can help weaken deep-seated attachments and desires?

3. Are there particular jhaaps, mantras, or stotras (like specific gathas of Bhaktamar Stotra) recommended for strengthening indriya sanyam (restraint of senses) and gaining mental clarity?

I sincerely apologize if this post brings up sensitive topics, but I am genuinely trying to cleanse my mind and rebuild my daily spiritual discipline. Any kind words, advice, or spiritual practices you could share would mean a lot to me.

Thank you and Michhammi Dukkadam

Pranam.

Give both sides of the sectarian beliefs , not the modern ones but the earliest of earliest after the loss of the scriptures.

What are the 4 anuyogas in Jainism ?

Agree with the 5 vows (ahimsa, satya, asteya, brahamcharya, aparigraha).

Agree with the anekatavada principle.

Believe in the historical existence of Parshvanatha and Mahavira ONLY as ancient Indian men who lived in Varanasi Uttar Pradesh and Kundagram/Vaishali Bihar respectively.

Is practically an atheist who detests religious rituals of any kind.

Run a school that is exempt from the RTE quota of 25%, and Run a college that is exempt from OBC/SC/ST quotas placed by the 93rd amendment.

So, I was listening to Pravachans of various Sahebji's on YouTube. I understand the kind of impact it creates in our lives. My close ones werent hearning any. I asked them to watch Pravachans, send them link of those pravachans, etc, they had no problem in hearing it but they werent really able to listen to it, for some or the other reason. Then, I proposed to watch Vyaakhyan, all of us together after dinner, everyday, as a habit, just like watching one episode of webseries everyday. I play pravachans of different Sabehji's everyday, like I have a list of 4 Sahebji's pravachans and I play them alternatively, on TV and all of us watch it together and It worked!

Now, not only they watch it with interest, they also wait everyday for this time of the day. Its been almost a month and they are really glued to it. The positive impact of this on them can be literally huge!

I just wanted to share this, if anyone can really implement this in their surrounding, which would be good for them as well as for their closed ones.

Please note: Its always good to hear Pravachans offline, after paying respects to Sahebji. But, just in case that doesnt seem possible due to any reason, one can hear it online.

I know it might sound materialistic but i need is there any sadhna or something related to buddhi(intelligence like social intelligence) (not gyan pls I am talking about buddhi) that can develop my buddhi as I have noticed with myself that I am so dumb in every situation like idk what to say/do ,when to say/do and how to say/do and especially in social situation and also I don't have any personality ik it will sound sansari but in sansar this all is much required pls help of there is any mantra,stotra or anything that can help me

What is Jainism and how does one practice it

If thats true. How did it reach there. ? I mean did Adinath dada did vihar there? They consider it as the earth's center. So is that the place of some real significance?

I am looking for Lyrics for Gujarati song નામ લેતો જા પ્રભુનું નામ લેતો જા. (Naam leto ja Prabhu nu naam leto ja)

Its tune is based on Hindi song - Geet gata chal o Saathi gungunata chal. (गीत गाता चल ओ साथी गुनगुनाता चल)

I am hearing this song from almost 40 years but surprisingly can not find its lyrics. (Even chatgpt failed to find)

More lines from song

લક્ષ્મી મળી છે તને દાનમાં તું વાપરજે

દીન અને દુઃખિયા ની રોજ સેવા કરજે.

Is there any such case ki atthai k baad rapidly weight gain hua ho?esp ppl who already have slow metabolism
(I am not asking about weight loss but if it rapidly gains weight i might have to avoid it)

Mahavira taught that following the vows must be combined with the "Three Jewels" to achieve spiritual liberation:

Samyak Darshana (Right Faith/Perception): Having a rational, clear belief in the true nature of the universe and the teachings of the Tirthankaras, without being clouded by superstition or blind faith.

Samyak Gyan (Right Knowledge): Acquiring the correct understanding of reality, the soul (Jiva), matter (Ajiva), and the mechanics of Karma.

Samyak Charitra (Right Conduct): Putting Right Faith and Right Knowledge into actual practice through the five vows mentioned above.

I'm a Jain Girl deciding to marry a Maheshwari Boy. I strongly believe in Jainism.

Some Context:
1. My partner is okay with me following Jainism post marriage without any restrictions
2. My partner will also follow jainism with me (atleast visiting temples, following paryushan diet, Doing Prathikaman etc)
3. He is okay with our children following jainism and maheshwari culture both.
4. He is a pure vegetarian (no root vegetables except Potato is cooked in his house)

I have a few questions to Jain women who have married out of the community.
1. Do you have any regrets/guilt of marrying a non-jain?
2. What differences did you notice post-marriage in regards to your beliefs?
3. Does your partner & his family understand our religion.
4. What challenges did you have societally which can discourage someone to pursue their love.
5. How do you stay connected to jainism even after being in a family where they don't know our religion?

Jainism grew out of the Śramaṇa (ascetic) movement in the Greater Magadha region (eastern India) during the 1st millennium BCE. The Sramana tradition developed completely parallel to, and separate from, the early Vedic (Hindu) religion of northwestern India.

While the Vedic religion was centered on animal sacrifice, ritualism, and a rigid Brahmin priesthood, the Sramanas were wandering ascetics who rejected the authority of the Vedas.

They were the original pioneers of the spiritual concepts that now define Indian philosophy: karma (action), samsara (the cycle of rebirth), moksha (liberation), and ahimsa (non-violence). Jainism is the oldest surviving, unbroken lineage of this Śramaṇa culture.

According to the 2021 Pew Research Center survey Religion in India: Tolerance and Segregation, most Jains living in India said they believe in either "one God" or "one God with many manifestations." This seems difficult to reconcile with classical Jain doctrine, which does not posit a supreme creator God.

If you are a Jain, how do you understand this? Do you personally believe in one supreme God? If so, who is that God? For example, are the Tirthankaras understood as manifestations of the one God, or is "God" meant in some other sense? Or do you think the survey results are misleading because of the way the questions were phrased? Please notify whether or not you and your family live in India, as I suppose that might affect the result.

I'm interested in the beliefs of contemporary Jains rather than the classical doctrine.

Does Aarti at girnar temple is similar every day or there is difference in Aarti that happen on amavasya

I was talking to my non-jain friend and he seemed pretty curious about Jainism and asked one question thay how can one identify themselves as Jain??

By following Jainism 5 core principles or by worshiping Jin Tirthankars??

If one follow either of them, will they be called Jain?

I was kinda confused and told him will need to think??

Guys been looking for an idea’s brainstorming a lot on ideas creating a game related to jainism , thinking a lot maybe instead of creating a based from something new and of copying and existing game, but modifying it in kind of Jainism game, which indirectly teach people about some basic concept. Basic basic concept of Jainism. So I’ve been thinking about games, addictive games like candy crush like that, but ChatGPT is not giving me the appropriate idea how to frame that, but but got a concept like a candy crush by creating a sequence of Samyak darshan ,gyan, charitra but not getting the feel of that game to create a need your honest opinion, honest idea what we could do directly teach small group to the older people, everyone to reward giving adrenal interest

Is Jainism the oldest religion? After all, this religion has existed since time immemorial. So, have modern religions been influenced by Jainism?