The Philosophy of Mahavira: Path to Liberation through Truth and Nonviolence
Ep. 116

The Philosophy of Mahavira: Path to Liberation through Truth and Nonviolence

•

Episode description

Explore the life and teachings of Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism and one of history’s most influential spiritual revolutionaries. Born a prince in 599 B.C., Mahavira renounced his royal life to seek Moksha (liberation) through extreme asceticism and the pursuit of absolute truth.

This video breaks down the core pillars of his philosophy:

The Problem of Samsara: Understanding the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.

The Five Great Vows: Ahimsa (Non-violence), Satya (Truth), Asteya (Non-stealing), Brahmacharya (Chastity), and Aparigraha (Non-attachment).

Epistemology: How Anekantavada and Syadvada offer a sophisticated framework for handling multiple perspectives and avoiding dogmatism.

Cosmology: The Jain view of an eternal universe without a creator God, governed by natural laws of Karma.

Discover how these ancient ideas continue to influence modern movements in animal rights, environmentalism, and non-violent resistance (inspiring figures like Gandhi).

To connect or donate: https://gravatar.com/lyonleshley

Take a look at my library:

https://library.leshley.ca/

View this video and others on

https://tube.leshley.ca/

#History #Mahavira #Jainism #IndianPhilosophy #Religion #Ethics #mokshadaekadasi

00:00 - Introducing the Radical Question of Freedom 01:00 - Mahavira’s Revolutionary and Dangerous Ideas 02:20 - The Prince Who Renounced Everything 04:20 - Defining the Goal: Moksha and Liberation 06:46 - Understanding Samsara and the Cycle of Suffering 09:53 - The Path to Liberation: The Five Great Vows 15:38 - Exploring Ahimsa: Absolute Non-Violence 19:57 - Anekantavada: The Philosophy of Multiple Perspectives 26:57 - Rejecting God: A Universe Without a Creator 34:53 - Karma as Physical Substance and Mechanism 44:15 - Radical Equality: Gender, Caste, and All Living Beings 53:34 - The Survival and Legacy of Jain Philosophy

“Hello, curious minds! I’m Lyon Leshley, a passionate educator with over 20 years of experience. I am taking full advantage of the AI revolution to provide free education content. At my YouTube, Rumble, and Odysee channels we dive deep into the fascinating worlds of philosophy, history, literature, science, and so much more.”

Education is more than just learning—it’s a journey of growth, discovery, and enlightenment. Whether you’re a student, a lifelong learner, or just someone who loves to explore new ideas, my channel is your gateway to knowledge.“

“And the best part? Every lecture comes with a free e-book download on Gumroad, and all my content is available in 20 different languages, ensuring that knowledge knows no boundaries.”

“Join learners from around the globe as we break down barriers and make education accessible to everyone. You can find all my social media links and support this mission by visiting my webpage at leshley.ca or my Gravatar page at gravatar.com/lyonleshley. If you’d like to donate directly, head over to my Gumroad page at https://shop.leshley.ca/coffee

Video lectures with subtitles translated into 28 languages are available at https://www.youtube.com/@learn.w.leshley and https://tube.leshley.ca/

No chapters are available for this episode.