Five Great VowsDo nor harm any living thing.Speak the truth.Do not steal.Be chaste.Renounce all possessions.Terminology:Jiva (soul): essence of every living thing, eternal and consciousKevala: omniscience, absolute knowledge of reality; enlightenment that terminates samsaraDigambara: one of the main Jain sects; characterized by monastic practice of nudityShvetambara: larger of the two main Jain sects; characterized by monastic practice of wearing white Jina: "conqueror" or one who has overcome samsaraTirthankara: a "bridge builder" or "maker of the ford"; one who has crossed over from the captivity of samsara to the world of enlightenment and freedom from rebirthResources for further research:Jain Center of America virtual toursVaughn, Lewis. Anthology of world religions: sacred texts and contemporary perspectives. Oxford University Press, 2017.Partridge, Christopher, and Tim Dowley. A Brief Introduction to Jainism and Sikhism. 1st ed. Vol. 5 of Brief Introductions to World Religions. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Fortress Press, 2019. Gough, Ellen. “Jainism: An Introduction By Jeffery D. Long.” Religious Studies Review 36, no. 1 (2010): 97.Follow us on our Patreon!