About this myth
Jain Kalachakra is a
In a nutshell
Myth summary
Followers of Jainism do not believe there was a formal creation event by a deity. It is believed that the universe always existed and flows through the course of time in cycles, much like seasons. For that reason, Jainism represents a continuity myth instead of a creation myth.
Belief system
Jainism Religion
Transtheistic
Jainism is a religion practiced by a group of people who originated from India.
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Mahavira
Main deity
Mahavira was the last of the twenty-four original Jina in Jainism traditions.
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More information
The Jain Kalachakra continuity (non-creationism) myth comes from the people of modern-day India who practice the religion of Jainism. In what is the only one of its kind in the entire OMNIKA index, Jainism doesn't contain a creation myth—in fact, the myth seems to completely reject the idea of creation through any deity. The Yogaśāstra, written in the 12th century and attributed to Ācārya Hemacandra, writes clearly that "This universe is not created nor sustained by anyone; It is self sustaining, without any base or support."
Because Jainsim does not teach a formal creation myth, it is important to understand the difference between a continuity myth and a creation myth.
Cite this page
OMNIKA Foundation Contributors. "Jain Kalachakra." OMNIKA – World Mythology Index, OMNIKA Foundation, 08 May. 2019, omnika.org/stable/154. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
OMNIKA (2019, May 08). Jain Kalachakra. Retrieved from https://omnika.org/stable/154
OMNIKA Foundation Contributors. "Jain Kalachakra." Las Vegas, NV: OMNIKA Foundation. Created May 08, 2019. Accessed November 23, 2024. https://omnika.org/stable/154.
