Monasticism ("alone") or monkhood is a religious way of life that involves renouncing worldly pursuits to fully devote one's self to spiritual work. Monastic life plays an important role in many religions, most notably in Buddhism, but also Hinduism and Jainism. Siddhartha / Gautama / Buddha is the primary figure in Buddhism, and accounts of his life, discourses, and monastic rules are believed by Buddhists to have been summarized after his death and memorized by his followers. Similarly...  Lord Mahavir is the primary figure of Janism and Mahavir was quite successful in eradicating from human intellect the conception of God as creator, protector, and destroyer. He also denounced the worship of gods and goddesses as a means of salvation. He taught the idea of supremacy of human life and stressed the importance of the positive attitude of life.   Show more >