Overview

Those who follow Jainism believe that each person has a soul, and this soul has a certain amount of "karma-matter" that determines where the soul will end up. Jains believe in reincarnation, and where a person is reborn is dependent on this karma-matter. Evil deeds add more karma-matter, and thus weigh down a soul.

In order to escape the cycle of rebirths, a person should free his soul of karma-matter that has built up in both this life and in previous ones. Ahimsa, a central belief in Jainism, is the respect for all life.

Ahimsa, extreme asceticism, and meditation are all important parts of a Jain's lifestyle. The way to enlightenment is completely up to one's self. Monks seek to acheive complete self-denial, while other Jains touch on it carefully.

Monks must take five vows when they enter the ascetic life: Never take life, never be untruthful, never take what is not given, never be unchaste, never be attatched to anything. As is shown here, this life can be quite extreme, and many monks will follow it even to the point of not eating unless someone offers food willingly.