My Hindu Page Glossary - J

Jain , Japa , Jiva , Jnana , Jnani

Jain: Jainism. A religion that was founded in India about 2,500 years ago by Sage Mahavira. Its beliefs are closely related to Hinduism. Jains also believe in karma, moksha and Self Realization. A foremost ideal in Jainism is ahimsa and Jainism enjoins its devotees to be strict vegetarians. There are about six million Jains in the world. They mainly live in South and Central India, especially in Mumbai.

Japa: The practice of repetitious chanting of a mantra. It is a form of prayer and an aid in the practice of meditation. Japa is also done as a supplication to God for specific purposes. The purpose is outlined in the meaning of the mantra. Though chiefly used to achieve spiritual attainments, the practice of japa is also used to cleanse oneself of sin, to gain material wealth and also to improve health. Performing japa involves concentrated chanting of the mantra along with mental visualizations. Each mantra has a unique purpose and a unique set of visualizations. It is best to learn japa from a guru who can instruct on the proper pronunciation, rhythm of chanting and visualizations.

Jiva: The soul, or atma, embodied in a physical body.

Jnana: Pronounced nyaa-na, it means spiritual wisdom. It also names the state of being and the knowledge gained after samadhi or God-Realization. In the four fold progressive path toward moksha: chariya, kriya, yoga and jnana; jnana is the final step.

Jnani: Pronounced nyaa-ni. A spiritually enlightened person. Jnanis are usually gurus. However any meditator who has realized God through their meditation and is able to maintain this realization can be considered a jnani, though they may not be recognized as Hindu gurus. Being a jnani is the highest achievement of human life according to Hindu belief. A jnani lives with the reality of his or her oneness with God as a constant experience instead of merely intellectual knowledge. Any jnani will be able to guide a meditator in their quest for enlightenment as a jnani can draw from his own experiences and through a strong sense of intuition that comes from his closeness to God's Omniscient Pure Consciousness (the result of his enlightenment).