Introduction to Jainism 101:

This booklet was originally written as a short text for counselors and campers attending
the Annual Jain Camp, held in Ontario Canada. Hence, it was meant for a younger
audience of people who were from a Jain background. However, the project has grown
from that time. Although I know many intelligent children as young as ten or eleven who
could read and understand this booklet, it is now directed at older children and adults,
both from Jain and other diverse backgrounds.

This booklet has been written in simple language, but with an academic mindset. Many
Jains appreciated an explanation of Jain philosophy in a comprehensive and technical
manner, within the limits of a short writing. There has been a focus on being clear,
maintaining internal logical consistency, and improving upon English translations of Jain
terminology.

Rituals and traditions of the Jain community have differed in the centuries and among
some of the Jain sects. This booklet emphasizes principles over rituals. The principles
are the essence Jainism, and I hope that rituals and practice will be analyzed through this
lens. In modern and ancient times, issues such as human rights, environment, poverty,
animal welfare, are an essential part of Jain Dharma. The traditions of modern Jains
deserve thought and analysis; principles are timeless though practices need to evolve.

This booklet is not meant to proselytize or boast about Jain Dharma. The language has
been kept factual, and judgment is only for the reader to make, though I do believe that
people will be inspired of their own accord. My goal is to foster a better understanding
of Jain philosophy, and to stimulate thoughtfulness about philosophical and spiritual
issues. Regardless of ones background and personal beliefs, we can all grow through
reflection on the diverse religious and secular philosophies of the world.

For now, I have left a few school bookish exercises to give readers pause to think or
reflect. Remember, they are not meant to promote any particular opinion, but for people
to enhance their own.

I hope that people will find this booklet enjoyable and thought provoking. Remember, it
is always a work in progress, and I appreciate your thoughts and feedback for future
improvements. Please email me any suggestions at Tushar_toronto@hotmail.com .

Namaste!

Tushar Mehta MD CCFP

What do you think?

(Remember, there are no right or wrong answers!)

1) Do you believe in God?

2) What do you think happens to people after they die?

3) What is Jainism?
 Jainism 101
Compiled by the IMJM Camp Counselors 2004

I. A Jain view of life

According to Jain philosophy, a living being (plant, animal, human, etc.) is composed of
matter and a soul.

Living beings have a limited lifespan, whereas their souls are eternal. When a living
being dies, it is only the material form that dies. The soul is the real life in a being -- the
real “self”. It gets reborn as another living being in a new body. This is called
reincarnation. For an individual soul, the cycle of birth and death can continue forever.

Birth of a Death of a
living being living being

Soul reincarnates
However, if a soul begins toanother
into living how the universe works (enlightened worldview,
understand
being
enlightened knowledge) and adjusts its behaviour to be in harmony with the universe
(enlightened conduct), then the soul becomes increasingly pure and may eventually
detach itself from matter permanently. The soul achieves a state of ultimate peace,
energy, freedom, knowledge, and bliss (a state called moksha or nirvana). It becomes
free from the cycle of birth and death. According to Jain philosophy, it is the nature of
all souls to achieve this fullest potential.

Soul in a state of purity and peace,

free from cycle of birth and death
(Moksha/Nirvana)

Birth Death

Enlightened Worldview
Enlightened Knowledge
Enlightened Conduct

The States of a living being:

As a soul progresses and develops itself, it will be born as a more advanced living being.
Jain philosophy considers the human form to be very advanced because it is capable of
thinking and choosing how it behaves. Complex animals such as mammals are thought
to have the capacity for many feelings and senses, but not as much for thinking. Lower
animals have less senses, and many plants and tiny animals have the least awareness and
senses. Some believe that trees are also very advanced beings, especially the older ones.
Perhaps these advanced plants have a knowledge, wisdom, and feeling of the world that
is shaped by their great age and ability to experience.

From ancient times, Jains have believed that the more senses that a living being has, the
more developed its mind and consciousness will be. Therefore, a living being with more
senses will have stronger feelings, and a greater experience of consciousness. They can
feel more happiness and sadness; more pleasure and pain. They can have stronger
feelings of friendship and anger, and so on.

The following table gives an example:

Number of senses Description Examples

 One sensed Only have the feeling of touch; cannot Plants and other tiny beings
even move by own will; able to feel a living in soil, earth, water, air,
small amount of pain. and maybe even in fire.
(However, perhaps plants such
as trees have a much higher
consciousness than this are
more than this.)
Two sensed Have sense of touch and taste; therefore Worms, some insects, mollusks,
have more experience of the world. etc.
Three sensed Have touch, taste and smell; may have More complex worms and
small sight instead of taste, etc. insects.
Four sensed Have touch, taste, smell and sight. More complex animals such as
reptiles, lizards, and some fish.
Five Sensed Have touch, taste, smell, sight, and All mammals, birds, some
hearing. reptiles and fish, etc.
Five sensed with Have touch, taste, smell, sight, and Humans (and possibly some
more complex hearing; also have advanced thinking aliens from other planets!).
intelligence ability.

The Sex of a Soul:

The soul is considered to not have a gender, male or female. Though many plants and
animals do have a gender (male, female or both), there are also beings that do not have a
gender. Gender depends on a soul’s karma, and can change from one lifetime to another.
In its liberated form, a soul is not male or female.

II. The Three Pillars of Jainism

The three “pillars” are also commonly called the 3 “jewels”. They refer to the 3 major
processes, or modes of development, that all living beings pursue in order to become
more pure, and eventually reach their purest form (moksha).

1) Enlightened Worldview
(Note: this is called Samyak Darshan, and can be more fully translated as
enlightened/rational worldview/perspective)

According to Jain philosophy, living beings should develop an enlightened and rational
perception of the universe. The “universe” includes a) one’s own self, b) other living
beings, and c) the material aspects of the universe such as space, time, and matter. The
understanding of each is interdependent. This means that to understand one’s self, we
must also understand others. To fully understand ourselves, we must also understand
matter, energy, space, time…and visa versa. Ultimately, things must be understood as a
whole.
A living being must come to understand that they are a soul in a long journey of self-
development, as are all others. All living beings desire to live a good life, and as souls
they are ultimately equal and have the potential for moksha. Living beings can learn
from each other in this process, which can take countless lifetimes. However, most
living beings are in a state where they do not realize their full nature.

To progress, all beings should cultivate a true sense of what the universe is, instead of
accepting teachings blindly or being superstitious. They should be able to analyze,
examine, test, and verify their beliefs through thinking and meditation. Furthermore, an
enlightened worldview affects one’s basic approach to daily life and fellow beings.

2) Enlightened Knowledge
(Note: this is called Samyak Gnana, and can be more fully translated as
enlightened/rational knowledge)

Jain philosophy states that our enlightened worldview should evolve into detailed and
specific knowledge of life and the universe – this is called “enlightened” or “rational”
knowledge. According to Jain philosophy, the following spiritual knowledge is
fundamental examples of enlightened knowledge:

• All things in the universe can be categorized into 6 “substances”:

o Soul
o Matter
o Motion
o Rest
o Space
o Time
• The above substances are eternal; they cannot be created or destroyed.
• Each living being is composed of matter (a body) and a soul.
• All souls are equal. However, individually, all beings are at their own
independent stage of development. They may be as humans, animals, plants, and
other divine beings, etc. Some have achieved moksha.
• Living beings often forget that they are a soul, and instead focus their time on the
material world. They forget that when they die they will leave all material things
behind (body, wealth, education, family, car, etc).
• Focusing on the soul, and realizing that the body and material things are not the
true self, helps beings develop compassion for other souls and equanimity
towards the material world.
• By becoming overly attached to the material world and having negative emotions
such as anger, ego, deceit, and greed, along with hatred, aversion, etc., a soul will
degrade itself and hold back its own progress.
• Thoughts, words, and actions cause the gaining and releasing of different Karma.
This is a natural process.
 • Negative thoughts, feelings, words, and actions (anger, ego, greed, deceit, and
violence of any type) cause the accumulation of negative karmas and also degrade
a soul. Positive thoughts, feelings, words, and actions result in good karmas if a
being has attachment to the things it loves. Although good karmas are important
to a get the soul to a certain level, the soul must ultimately release itself from
good karmas as well as negative karmas in order to be truly free.
• Freeing the soul from all karmas means it has achieved moksha, the ultimate pure
form of the soul. The soul reaches its infinite potential (infinite knowledge,
freedom, energy, peace, and bliss).

The above points are stated in a basic way, but can be studied very deeply. Enlightened
knowledge also includes the study of science, mathematics, philosophy, art and
all other types of knowledge, including human relations, psychology, the
environment, and so on. Knowledge is infinite, but there are complex
relationships and Jain philosophy considers all of life and knowledge to be
interconnected. Again, beings should learn from each other, respect each others
views, but still come to understand things for themselves. Only a fully
enlightened soul has infinite knowledge and understanding.

Thinking Exercise
Do you agree with “enlightened knowledge” as described above?
Which statements do you agree with, and why?
Which statements do you not agree with, and why?

3) Enlightened Conduct
(Note: this is called Samyak Charitra and can be more fully translated as
enlightened/rational conduct/action)

Enlightened worldview and knowledge leads one to enlightened conduct, but this also
works the other way. For example, if we realize that animals have a soul and feel pain,
then we are more likely to be vegetarian. However, if we are taught to be vegetarian
from childhood, most of us will come to develop compassion for animals. The word
“conduct” includes all of our thoughts, words, and actions.

Jain Philosophy encourages that people should adopt/observe various vows, or “vrats”.
Note that these are intended as a discipline to free the self from material things, develop
inner strength and to live a peaceful and positive life. Vrats are not made externally to
any god, society, person, or other authority. Rather, these vrats are adopted internally,
i.e. they are vows to one’s own conscience. The 5 most important vows are called
Anuvratas/Mahavratas:

1. Non-violence (Ahimsa): Being peaceful in actions, words, and thoughts

towards all living beings, including one’s self; not to contribute to violence in any
direct or indirect manner.
 2. Truth (Satya): Being true and sincere to yourself and to others in your actions,
thoughts, and words.

3. Non-stealing (Asetya): Refraining, as much as possible, from stealing

possessions or peace away from all other living beings. This includes not stealing
from plant and animal life; it does not only apply to stealing from humans.

4. Freedom from Physical Passions (Brahmacharya): Limiting and becoming free

from indulgences in all sensual pleasures (such as food and sexuality).

5. Non-attachment (Aparigraha): Being unattached, and therefore free, of

material and non-material possessions (i.e. limiting the possessions one owns but
also being mentally free from their desire. One should be unconcerned about
things like reputation, and feel love for other beings equally, without being
attached to any. Love and attachment are different. Obviously, it is difficult to
love all beings equally and to not be attached to one’s own body or family, etc.).

To fully implement these 5 Main Vows, one must practice the philosophy of Ahimsa,
Aparigraha, and Anekantavada (the three of which will be discussed later).

Householders, Monks, and their Manner of Conduct:

The Jain community is broadly divided in two categories: “householders “and “monks”.
The following is a brief explanation of the two, which shows the difference in their lives.

1) Householders (laypersons):

Most Jains are householders. Householders participate in routine life: they work, live in
some type of home, raise families, etc. The 5 main vows are called Anuvratas for
householders, who try to observe them in their daily lives. The extent to which a
householder observes the 5 main vows is dependant on his/her ability and circumstance,
though standard recommendations do exist. (Note that nothing in Jain philosophy is
dictated by an external authority, so there are never external requirements, only internal
ones.) Jain philosophy states that one should always try to grow and aspire to achieve the
vrats to their maximum, and perhaps eventually do so at the level of monks.

2) Monks (Sadhus = male monk, Sadhvi = female monk):

Monks are people who have committed themselves to the highest ideals. They
“renounce” worldly life and desire, meaning that they dedicate their life only to the
development of their souls, to learn, and to teach others. They try to develop their
worldview, knowledge, and conduct to the maximum. Monks are revered and respected
by the lay community as very sacred people, teachers, and examples of what we should
work towards. All living beings must reach the stage of a monk to progress even further.
 For Monks, the 5 main vows are called the Mahavrats. They give up their homes,
families, possessions, etc., and focus ALL of their energy on a spiritual life. As a monk
increases in his/her spiritual progression, he/she increases the strictness of adhering to the
vrats.

Examples of four out of the Five Main Vows are provided in table below:

Non-violence Non-attachment Non-stealing Freedom from

Physical Passions

Householders -Minimize harm to -Limit possessions; -Minimize stealing from -Practice monogamy
ALL living forms/beings buy only what is all living forms (one intimate relationship)
(Householders needed, own less, and
may also -Follow a vegetarian diet learn to be happy -Act socially fair -Refrain from using
follow (vegan is better) with the essentials alcohol or drugs
some/all of the -Do not steal a persons
vows as -Have non-violent and -Give to charity confidence by insulting -Limit indulgences in
strictly as ethical occupations them food and worldly luxuries
monks do if -Do not worry about
they can.) -Do not kill plants or reputation or fame -Promote fair trade and
insects needlessly business practices
-Treat people equally
-Support environmental and do not be -Take as little from the
protection possessive of people environment as possible

Monks -Refrain from harming -Have no -Never damage or take -Refrain from any/all
any or all living forms in possessions, except advantage of any person, worldly indulgences,
thought, word, or deed some white cloth to animal, or plant luxuries, and resource
cover themselves consuming activities
-Sweep their seats before (Some monks even -Never steal a person’s
sitting down to avoid choose to renounce happiness by speaking -Do not indulge in fancy
killing any insects all clothing.) badly towards them foods but eat simple
bland food
-Do not use vehicles -Renounce one’s -Do not eat unless given
when travelling, and do birth family food -Be celibate (no intimate
not even wear shoes, to identity, but rather relationship)
minimize harm to the consider all living -Consume almost no
environment and insects beings to be equal environmental resources
family. Be equal
-Reduce impact on the towards all beings!
environment by
consuming almost no
resources
In summary, people are encouraged to live as simply, humanely, ecologically,
intelligently, and peacefully as possible. In the past, there were many householder
Jains who would strictly give away all money beyond what met their most basic
needs without any luxuries. They would live in the smallest home, or not even build
or own a home. This was due to the massive environmental damage and harm to all
living beings that building a home caused. Therefore they stayed with other family
members, which was a very common practice. Unfortunately, there are fewer Jains
who do this nowadays.

Exercise:
1) How do most people, including current Jains, live up to these ideals?
2) How would you have to change your life if you wanted to follow these ideals?
3) Why do less people follow these ideals than in the past?

III. The Three Major Principles of Jainism (aka The Three A’s)
The 3 main principles of Jainism are Ahimsa, Aparigraha, and Anekantavada. They
are the major principles of life that a soul tries to achieve through the three pillars. Jain
philosophy recommends them for individuals, but also for the whole of society.
Although they were mentioned in the previous section, here they will be discussed in
detail.

1) Ahimsa:
Ahimsa is the principle of nonviolence. Many people consider this the most essential and
brilliant principle of Jainism. Nonviolence in Jain philosophy is extremely exacting,
comprehensive, and rigorous. Jain philosophy considers any and all violence to be
unacceptable. Beings that have the capacity to think and choose (i.e. humans) are
especially responsible for being non-violent.

Jainism considers beings to be responsible for violence in all of the following ways:
1) violence committed directly or indirectly
2) intentionally or unintentionally
3) in thought, word, or action
4) having done it oneself, having another do it for you, or even appreciating the fact
that another person has committed violence

According to Jain thought, violence not only hurts other beings, but it also harms the
being/person committing the violence because it degrades one’s soul. This is due to the
universal process of karma, which will be discussed in the next section. Note that
violence committed unknowingly or unintentionally has less of a negative impact on a
soul than committing it knowingly or on purpose, and a violent thought is not as bad as
the same thought followed by words or action. Nevertheless, these are still forms of
violence and do create negative karma.
Jain philosophy states that the mere act of living causes violence, except for enlightened
souls who no longer have a body, and for very advanced souls that are just about to
achieve moksha. The idea is that there are even tiny beings that one cannot see, as well
as small insects and plants that we routinely kill by accident. Even if we are vegan, we
still kill plants for food. The philosophy suggests that harming beings that are at a higher
form of existence is worse than harming those at a lower form. This is because
developed beings have a greater capacity for suffering. However, Jainism states that we
should avoid hurting or killing any insects, plants, or even simpler beings, no matter how
insignificant they may seem. “Live and Let Live” is the motto.

This leads to the practices of vegetarianism and veganism, but goes even further. One
should not hurt another’s feelings or even think a violent thought. Monks are very
critical about this. They will never use a vehicle because of the harm it causes to so
many beings and the environment. Furthermore, they always walk barefoot no matter
how harsh the conditions in order to be sensitive and step as lightly on the earth as
possible. Nor will they own any possessions because the manufacturing or mining of any
thing from nature will hurt the environment and cause violence to violence to many
forms of life.

Lay people should minimize the use of vehicles and have homes that have the lowest
environmental impact. There are Jain lay people who minimize their travel, especially in
cars, avoid walking on grass, and would never build new homes. Building anything on
fresh ground is considered to be one of the most harmful activities, and using large
amounts of material is considered devastating to other beings. Every small bit of earth
harbours an enormous amount of life, including the countless living beings that have yet
to be born. Every bit of the earth is shared by all beings on the planet because whatever
happens there will affect all, either directly or indirectly (i.e. all beings have at least some
right as to what happens on the rest of the planet). The standards of a monk are the ideal
for all intelligent beings, and Jain philosophy strongly teaches that all should work
towards this. Unfortunately, most people forget about these teachings.

Exercise
In modern times, many people feel that the philosophy of non-violence should be
changed because it is out of date; it is not compatible with our modern western lifestyles.
Others feel that this philosophy is more necessary than ever in its exact form in order to
stop the tremendous harm to all beings on the planet. What do you think?

2) Aparigraha

Aparigraha means both non-possessiveness/ non-attachment as a mental attitude, as well

as the actual practice of minimizing possessions.

According to this ideal people should live with as few possessions as possible. It is
interlinked with the ideal of Ahimsa in that every possession or man-made item has
disturbed other beings in order to get the materials from the earth. All materials are taken
from the earth, and after being used up, the waste is put back into the earth. When we
create and possess any item or thing, we also take away from what other beings need for
their lives. For example, when people build cities, roads, and homes, they kill the
countless plants and animals that live there, and take away from all future beings that
would have lived there. The more we possess and consume, the more we hurt other
beings on the earth. Monks will minimize every drop of water they consume and keep
only a small amount of cloth to cover themselves. Some will wear no clothes at all.

Being “non-attached” is also a mental idea. One may have few possessions, but still be
overly attached to them. In addition to material possessions, one may be attached to their
reputation, status, and loved ones. According to the ideal of aparigraha, one should not
be attached to any of these. When it comes to family, a person should love all people the
same, and not be particularly attached to anyone. One should not even be attached to
their own body or their life as a particular being, understanding that it is only a temporary
state. For example, there are some people, including many monks, who limit bathing and
will not even take medicine if they get sick. They are not worried if their life will end or
not. People should only concern themselves with their enlightenment as souls. This is
difficult and it requires a lot of time to reach such an attitude. Most people are not
expected to achieve this in their lifetime. However, it is something to think about and
work towards. Practices such as fasting are used to help develop this mind-set. Note that
the idea is not to make people feel limited by having restrictions. The goal is to develop
a pure and total inner freedom, so that life has maximum happiness and spiritual growth.

Jain philosophy does not recognize that any thing truly belongs to anyone, except for
their own soul. Living beings such as humans (and animals) may feel that there are
things that belong to them (i.e. this is “my car” or “my land”), but there is no such thing
as true ownership. This is in contrast to the idea of “private property” in most societies.
However, Jain philosophy does recognize that most people and animals believe that they
own things, and it is often hurtful or unfair to take things away from them. Hence there
is the principle of non-stealing, or astaya. Property and ownership are recognized as a
“convention” so that one can live in harmony with others in society.

3) Anekantavada

Anekantavada is one of the most confusing and misinterpreted concepts in Jainism. It

literally means “non-one-ended-way of thinking”, or “non-one-ended-ness”, etc. Jain
philosophy states that the universe is infinitely complex, and so is every “thing” in it. A
“thing” may be an object, an idea, a feeling, one’s self, another person/being, etc. No
single or even multiple points of view can fully understand it. Only an enlightened soul
with infinite knowledge, who can understand a “thing” from infinite perspectives, can
have a full understanding.

Beings that are not enlightened may still have a valid understanding, but their knowledge
will a) be finite/incomplete and b) have some errors/misunderstandings. Therefore,
people must realize that no matter how much they know, there is always more to learn.
Any opinion that views itself as complete is mistaken.
Understanding this principle suggests that one must always respect the opinions of
others, and to try to see their point of view. They may not always be correct, but there is
always something more to learn. Different perspectives have their own good and weak
points. These must be rationally combined to gain a greater understanding of individual
“things” and of life in general. This concept also fosters tolerance and respect of other
people’s viewpoints.

Have you ever head the story of six blind men and the elephant? Each was trying to
describe the elephant by feeling it. One man felt the tail and said that the elephant was
like a rope. Another felt the trunk and stated that the elephant was like a snake. The
third felt a leg and said that it was like a tree, and so on. None would agree. However,
all of them were partly correct and partly incorrect from their limited points of view.
This describes anekantavada, and is probably the most widely known Jain story.

The importance of knowledge is outlined by the principle of anekantavada. Obviously, if

a soul needs to work towards infinite knowledge, it is important to constantly learn about
the self and the world from as many different perspectives as possible. The arts,
philosophy, literature, religions, sciences, mathematics, the experiences of people,
meditation, etc., are all extremely important things to study.

Exercise
1) Can you think of other things we should learn from other than the list in the paragraph
above?
2) According the principle of anekantavada, what would Jain philosophy say about other
religions?

IV. Karma Theory

Do you believe that all souls (plants, animals, humans) are equal? If yes, then why
are some souls born as plants, others as insects, and others as humans? Why are some
born sick and lonely, while others are born healthy and loved? If souls are equal, why do
some souls suffer greatly during their life, while other souls experience a more happy and
peaceful existence? Karma theory describes how thoughts, words, and actions have a
positive or negative impact on a soul’s development, and the circumstances of its present
and future lives.

Basically, all living beings “reap what they sow”. There is no external “god” that
punishes or elevates a being for its actions. All beings bear 100% responsibility for their
own actions and fates. Events in a being’s life, and the conditions of their birth, are
determined by the karma they have generated in their past and current lives. In fact, all
living beings are loaded with huge amounts of karma that affect every aspect of their
lives. Much of this karma may be dormant, or buried “deep in the pile”, so to speak.
Hence there are karmas that affect a soul in its current life, and others that will have an
effect in future lives.
As a living being thinks, breaths, speaks, and acts, even in the smallest ways, it is always
generating karma, and/or releasing karma. The bigger and more intense the
thoughts/words/actions, the more karma is generated. At the same time, our karma is
always expressing itself, by having an effect on every small and big thing that happens in
our lives and in the environment around us. So, depending on their karmas, some living
beings may experience great suffering while others are prosperous and healthy, why
some are born as animals and some as humans, etc.

But two points must be kept in mind. Karma theory does not mean that living beings
“get what they deserve”. For example, if a person does something cruel, and it affects
her in some tragic way via the negative karma she acquires, it does not mean that she
“deserved” it. According to Jain philosophy, all living beings, no matter how violent or
cruel they may be, ultimately deserve to reach their full potential. However, when they
act in negative ways, not only do they hurt others, but they are also hurting themselves by
degrading their own soul. The negative karma they get is simply a natural process.
Secondly, we must keep in mind that living beings can take control of their karma. That
is what Jain philosophy recommends. This process will be explained further.

Classifying Actions and Karmas:

Let us try to understand karma theory better. Our actions can be either “positive” or
“negative”, but we can say “good” or “bad” for short. Good actions have a positive
influence on the soul and bad actions have a negative influence on the soul. Each
thought, word, and action causes a soul to accumulate karma.

1) Good thoughts/words/actions are called punya. Punya has a positive effect on

one’s karma, and therefore a “good” impact on current and/or future lives.

2) Bad thoughts/words/actions lead to paap. Paap has a negative effect on one’s

karma, and therefore a “bad” impact on current and/or future lives.

There are countless types of karmas, all relative to the thought/word/action of a being.
Jain philosophers have categorized them in many ways. The two most broad and
important categories are: 1) ghati (“destructive” karma) and 2) aghati (“non-destructive”
karma).

1) Ghati (Destructive) Karma: refers to karma that obscures the essential inner
nature of the soul. All ghati karma is bad. It can take away from a being’s capacity for
perception, thought, knowledge, insight, blissfulness, peace, energy, freedom etc. As a
soul develops itself, it gets rid of ghati karma over time. This is critical for the
progression of a soul.

2) Aghati (Non-destructive) Karma: refers to karma that mainly affects the material
circumstances of a living being. This includes a being’s body (human, animal,
etc.), family, health, wealth, location, birth, etc. Aghati karma can be either good
 or bad, and is considered less influential on the progress of a soul, though it still
has a great impact.

Type of Action
Bad thought/speech/action Good thought/speech/action
Paap
-Impairs one’s perception and knowledge,
making it more difficult for one to
understand the true nature of the universe
Destructive -Takes away from a souls energy,
freedom, peace, bliss
Type
- Harms quality of life form (plant,
Non- animal, human) health, lifespan, physical
appearance, and position in society in the
Destructive current and future lives
Punya
-Helps one gain vision, knowledge,
and the ability to pursue good works
-Part of the process of developing a
soul’s freedom, energy, peace, and
blissfulness
- Improves quality of life form,
health, lifespan, social community,
etc. in current and future lives

Karma Can Be Complex, i.e. Gaining Good and Bad Karmas at the Same Time:

A single thought, speech, or action can have many different aspects and therefore
generate many different types of karma. For example, Sarena may take a friend out for
dinner because she just lost her job and is feeling depressed. She picks her friend up on
the way (why bother taking two cars?) and the friend decides to have a steak dinner.
Sarena will generate good karma from helping a friend when she is down, and from
trying to save on pollution by remembering to carpool. However, taking her to a place
where animal flesh is served and buying a steak for her has made the Sarena partly
responsible for the suffering and killing of the cow. Even though she carpooled, there
was still an impact to the environment and people hurt by oil politics. Hence there are
also negative karmas that she has collected. These simple examples of karma are just the
beginning. Countless more karmas would be generated in this one dinner outing, from
supporting the meat industry to showing all sorts of kindness to her friend. Remember,
every breath and movement is generating karma.

Karma and Intentions:

The amount and type of karma depends a lot on one’s intentions. For example, to obtain
good karma, one’s thoughts/words/actions must be genuine. If one does good actions
only to gain good karma (i.e. for a “profit motive”), then the act will not result in much
real benefit, and may even result in some negative karma from being selfish. On the other
hand, a lot of good karma can come from even small actions that are done with great
sincerity.

Likewise, negative karma also depends on the intentions one has. If one has extremely
violent thoughts, they will get a lot of negative karma even if they never acted on these
thoughts. If they act on it, the result is even worse! However, if a harmful word/action
was unintentional, there is still some negative karma, but much less. Karma is an
operating principle of the universe: we are all completely responsible for all of our
thoughts, words, and actions. This is especially important in the Jain definition of
nonviolence.

The Jain Definition of Violence/Non-violence as it to relates to Karma:

Jain philosophy has an extremely rigorous and comprehensive definition of violence.

Violence can be committed in four ways, and living beings are responsible for ALL
violence they commit:

1) violence committed directly or indirectly,

2) intentionally or unintentionally,
3) in thought, word, or action,
4) having done it oneself, having another do it for you, or even appreciating the fact
that another person has committed violence.

We should note that being uncaring or complacent towards violence going on in the
world around us is still considered as violence that we are indirectly responsible for, if
we are in a position to learn about it and make a difference. This is an extremely
important aspect of Jain philosophy that is most often forgotten.

Jain philosophy states that there is no god/guru, etc. that can forgive any mistakes or
violence that one has committed, or by their power or grace, directly elevate the soul of
another who prays to them, as is believed by many religions. All beings are fully
responsible for their own actions, and fully responsible for the progress of their own
souls, all the way to liberation. People may often feel that this is an immense and
seemingly impossible task. Nevertheless, the role of the gurus and great figures is to
TEACH, set an example, and to care. That is their only possible intervention.

Karma and a Soul’s Liberation:

Ancient philosophers thought of karma as small particles that attach themselves tightly to
the soul, binding it to the material world and thus blocking its true nature. Some may
now think of it as a form of energy that affects the soul, or an inner impurity/corruption
of the soul itself. Either way, it binds a soul to the material world and causes it to go
through cycles of birth and death, therefore preventing it from attaining moksha/nirvana.

According to Jain philosophy, a soul must release ALL karmas in order to attain
enlightenment, including good karma. It is nice to have good karmas, and they may even
be a necessary step. After all, one has to attain an intelligent form with a good set of
circumstances in order to pursue even higher goals. Eventually, however, one also has to
get rid of the good karmas in order to attain liberation and total freedom (moksha).

We get rid of karma in two ways:

1) Karmas can simply take their effect, good or bad. Thus they take their effect and
are used up, and are released from the soul. This alone is not enough for a soul to
become free from all karmas. Remember that a soul is almost always
accumulating more karma through its thoughts/words/actions, and that most souls
already have vast amounts of karma bonded to them. .

2) A soul can also release karma in a controlled way. It can slow or stop the
accumulation of new karma through ahimsa (non-violence and compassion),
aparigraha (freedom from possessions and attachment), ascetic practices, etc.
Furthermore, it can also actively release karma through ascetic practices.

The second point is ultimately the most important way of achieving total freedom and
liberation. Beings born in an intelligent form (i.e. most humans) have the ability to
choose and mold their destiny. It takes many lifetimes to achieve a human form, and Jain
philosophy urges people to not to waste the opportunity. Even though there is so much
karma that one has accumulated, a person can take control of it.

Ascetic Practices in Jainism:

Ascetic practices are done by Jains for many reasons. The idea is to develop self
discipline and inner strength, focus the mind, practice the extreme form of non-
attachment and non-violence, develop ones knowledge and insight, and experience
higher levels of consciousness, bliss, and harmony. Basic examples of ascetic practices
are meditation, fasting, study and thought, community service, and sacrificing comforts,
but there are a great many other methods.

In terms of karma, ascetic practices may help to release karma in a controlled way. One
should remember however, that there has to be a genuine intention and understanding of
the practice. Things done in order just to show off or with a selfish profit motive are not
so effective. Furthermore, if we exercise compassion, we must do it without attachment
or possessiveness. And any good action that we do must be done in a way that
minimizes harm to other beings or the environment.

The Nine Tattvas :

The Nine Tattvas are considered the “Operating Principles of the Universe”. They
describe the realities of the universe and souls’ existence, including the relationship
between souls and karma.
 1. Soul – the Living Element of the Universe: The soul is invisible; it is eternal
and lasts forever. The soul’s true nature is infinite knowledge, infinite energy,
infinite freedom, and infinite bliss/peacefulness. (However, most souls are
unaware of their true nature, and start to look for happiness in material things.)
2. The Five Non-living Elements of the Universe: These are matter, motion
(energy), rest (stasis), space, and time. (As mentioned before, ancient Jain
philosophers considered karma to be material particles of some sort.)
3. Influx of Karmas: Thoughts, words, actions cause the influx of karmas – both
good and bad.
4. Bondage of Karmas: These Karmas attach themselves to the soul. The karma
will have a “destructive” or “non-destructive” impact, depending on the nature of
the thought, word, or action.
5. Punya: Good thought/word/actions lead to positive karmas.
6. Paap: Bad thought/word/actions lead to negative karmas.
7. Stoppage of Karmas: One can stop the inflow of karma by embarking on the
path of enlightened worldview, enlightened knowledge, and enlightened conduct.
8. Shedding of Karmas: Following Jain principles and positive ascetic practices
will also cause release of past karmas that the soul has accumulated.
9. Moksha/Liberation: A souls reaches its highest potential (infinite knowledge,
freedom, energy, peace, and bliss) by developing itself fully and thereby
releasing all of its karma.

Is There a God?

Jain philosophy states that the universe works according to “natural laws”. Jain
philosophy does not support the idea of an all-powerful God, or other gods, that create or
oversee the universe. As stated before, Jain philosophy does not maintain that one can
pray to a god/guru to get forgiveness or favours. All souls are fully responsible for their
own actions, and fully responsible for progressing themselves. Gurus and great figures
can teach, guide, and support others.

Jains greatly respect the souls of all living beings, as they all have the potential to
become pure and “god-like”. Jains especially revere and respect souls that have achieved
liberation (moksha), especially those few who came to teach others before they left their
bodies forever. They also revere souls who have dedicated themselves to this path, such
as monks. (See section entitled “Namokar Mantra” for more details.)

Mahavir was a normal human being, who lived over 2500 years ago. By working to
develop his enlightened worldview, knowledge, and conduct, he achieved perfect
knowledge. He spent many years of his life teaching others, and established an order of
monks which allowed Jain principles to be taught from generation to generation. Jains
believe that he left his body (i.e. let his body die) under his own control, became free of
all karma, and achieved moksha.

The properties of a pure/liberated soul are as follows:

 1) infinite knowledge (of past, present, and future for every thought, idea,
movement, particle, etc. in all universes – note that Jain cosmology supports the
idea of infinite universes aside from our own).
2) Infinite Freedom
3) Infinite Bliss/Happiness/Harmony/Peace
4) Infinite Energy

Some people feel that these properties make Mahavir seem like a “god”. However, he
does not meet the definition of a “god” because he does not exert any intentional control
or influence over the universe or souls. He has no authority or rulership, and there is
absolutely no requirement to worship him. Certainly, he did not create the universe.
Also, Jain philosophy states that all living beings have the exact same potential as him.
He is not special or unique in that sense, but is loved because he was a great teacher and
he represents the highest ideal for all. Though Mahavir was born as a male, his liberated
soul is no longer male or female. Though a liberated soul is considered to be of infinite
capacity, it is much different than a traditional god.
Is Jainism a Religion?

In English, Jainism is often described as a "religion". However, there is no exact word

for religion in the ancient Indian languages. Jainism has traditionally referred to itself as
a “dharma”. Dharma means spiritual philosophy and living path. It is the idea of
understanding and living by one’s true nature and working towards ones natural duty to
life. Thinking, questioning, and openness are encouraged. There is no central human or
superhuman authority that others must obey or serve, or who sets rules. The Universe
works according to its natural laws, which beings can grow to understand.

In addition to thoughts and beliefs, dharma involves every minute aspect of the way we
think, speak, and behave. Jain philosophy suggests that we must be compassionate and
peaceful, truthful to others and ourselves, generous and free from materialism, and to be
ascetic as much as possible. One should be thoughtful, peaceful, and kind while
performing natural duties.

Again, this is somewhat summarized by the ideas of “enlightened worldview”,

“enlightened knowledge”, and “enlightened actions”. Thus, it is nice to refer to Jainism
as a “Dharma”, or as a “spiritual philosophy and way of life”, if we want to use English
words. This is a more accurate way than using the word “religion” to refer to Jainism.

Religion refers more to a belief system that has a much more centralized authority
governing belief and action. There is usually the idea of a single god, who may have
multiple aspects, or of many gods. In society, there are religious leaders who are
considered to have authority and power over others. People must obey and serve some
authorities. It is usually believed that the final destiny of a person or being is not only
dependant on himself/herself, but also on a god, and maybe even on human authority.

Of course, there is always some overlap between what we would call a dharma and a
religion…

“Dharma is nothing but the real nature of an object. Just as the nature of fire is to burn
and the nature of water is to produce a cooling effect, in the same manner, the essential
nature of the soul is to seek self-realization and spiritual elevation.”
—Quote from Mahavir, Jain Tirthankar.

Jain Origins and Mythology

Jain philosophy considers itself to be universal and timeless. There is no god or creator,
but the universe has always existed. Just like the physical “laws” that govern things like
gravity and light, Jain philosophy theorizes that it simply describes the laws of karma and
soul. These laws have always existed, even before anyone came to believe them on
earth. Therefore, according to the philosophy, it is believed that no god or person ever
created Jainism. Rather, it was “discovered” as people learned about the laws of the
universe, especially by those who worked towards enlightenment. .
Jain cosmology believes that the universe has cycles. For example, in the beginning the
universe is very simple, and it grows in complexity until it reaches a peak. This is a
progressive phase. In the second half of a time cycle, the universe then slowly “burns
out”, or decays. This is a declining phase. Finally, the process starts over, and this cycle
goes on forever. Perhaps it is like having a big bang, after which the universe grows, but
it eventually runs out of structured energy (a process called “entropy”), and then
collapses only to start over.

Jain mythology considers Tirthankaras to be enlightened souls who have remained

amongst people and continued to teach for a short time. Most souls, once they become
enlightened, no longer interact with any other people. All enlightened souls are revered,
but especially these teachers. Mahavir was the last Tirthankara, and he existed over 2500
years ago. It is believed that he was the last of 24 Tirthankaras.

History is different than mythology of course. There is documented history that Mahavir
was an actual person, as was Parswanatha, the 23rd Tirthankara. There may be some
evidence for some earlier Tirthankaras (my knowledge is lacking in this area) but it is
impossible to prove all of the earlier Tirthankaras for which there is much mythology.
The earliest historical evidence of Jain civilization is from 5000 years ago, in what are
called the Harappan civilizations in the Indus Valley. .

Jainism, Human Rights, and Social Issues

The principles of ahimsa, aparigraha and anekantavada support the idea of world peace,
refraining from wars, respecting all other peoples and their beliefs, and helping all
people. Violence is never justified. Using violence for self defense or the defense of
others may be reasonable, but it will still cause negative karma, though it will be very
little compared to an aggressive act. Human rights are extremely important.

Social issues such as helping the poor, those who have been hurt in any way, and sharing
all resources are promoted by Jain philosophy. One should not accumulate possessions,
but rather share one’s time and resources. It is okay to become “wealthy” if one is not
attached to their possessions; it is not accumulated in a way that harms other beings or
the environment, and is ultimately used in a way that helps other beings. Jainism does
not recognize that any material thing can be truly owned by a person or being. However,
within limits, we must recognize the conventions of ownership and rights over “property”
in ways that respect others’ beliefs and help society function. Of course, the conventions
can be questioned and adjusted if they are found to be harmful, and we must recognize
that different people may have conflicting beliefs about ownership conventions.

In addition to respecting the rights and well-being of other people, Jain philosophy
strongly asserts that the rights of all living beings, therefore all animals and plants as well
as humans, must be respected. Although priority is given to beings that have a higher
level of consciousness, it is still extremely necessary to respect even the smallest insects
and plants. Water, soil, and air are thought to sustain vast amounts of life, and should be
minimally disturbed. Although we may need plants to eat, etc. the idea is that we take
the absolute minimum from the earth, and keep the earth in a state that all beings can live
their lives in their own ways. The monk who makes almost no impact on the
environment is the ideal for all to strive towards.

Jainism, Vegetarianism and the Environment

Respect for the environment is essential to the Jainism. According to the philosophy, one
should not steal or harm the earth and its beings in any way; no intelligent being has the
right to do so. Following the principle of ahimsa, many Jains have restricted their use of
vehicles, shoes, and do not eat root vegetables that require digging the earth to obtain
(because that would kill the entire plant and disturb so many other beings in the ground).
For years, the Jain scriptures were not written down, and part of the reason was that it
was considered contradictory to hurt a palm tree by breaking a single leaf, and then write
sacred words on it about non-violence. To dig the earth or build on it is considered a
terrible hurt to the trillions of life forms that die in the process. Furthermore, larger
animals and trees die who depend on that earth. It is also considered to be stealing from
all future beings who would otherwise depend on that earth for their food or living space.

As for animals, Jainism strictly advises that all humans should be vegetarian if possible
in their circumstance. In this day and age, when animals are harmed for dairy and leather
production, the philosophy definitely promotes veganism.

The principles of ahimsa and aparigraha are relevant in modern times more than they
have ever been before. Human harm to all life is spiraling to higher and higher levels
than ever before. Jain philosophy promotes a duty towards protecting and helping all
life, at least until such a time when a person becomes a monk and refrains from worldly
life. Even then, a monk’s example and teachings would be a powerful help for all life
forms.
Namokar Mantra

The Namokar Mantra is the most common one recited by Jains. It pays respect to great
spiritual teachers, liberated souls, and those on the path to liberation of their souls. To
“bow” in Jainism means to pay homage to and respect. It does not mean to worship or
pray to them as gods, but rather, to focus one’s energy on these advanced souls as a
reminder or example for inspiration to achieve the same thing.

Most Jains are familiar with a second part to this mantra; however, it is not part of the
original and was added at a later time in history. This add-on, which has become
standard for most Jains, actually contradicts some of the main ideas of Jainism, and so it
has been excluded here.

Statement Description Example

Namo Arihantanam I bow down to the great teachers
(i.e. Arihants, also called
Tirthankaras) that have obtained
perfect knowledge by conquering
anger, greed, ego, and deceit.
Mahavir was a great Jain teacher who
lived over 2500 years ago. There
were a total of 24 great Jain teachers.
.

Namo Siddhanam I bow down to all beings that have
obtained perfect knowledge
(Siddhas) by conquering anger,
greed, ego, and deceit.
Namo Ayriyanam I bow down to leaders of Jain
Congregations (i.e. Acharyas)
Siddhas are liberated souls. There
are many Siddhas. Only a 24
Siddhas, Mahavir the last, remained
in society to teach others after their
enlightenment.
There are many Acharyas living
today. They act as heads of monk
congregations.

Namo Uvajjhayanam I bow down to spiritual teachers and These scholars know the scriptures
scholars very well, and act as teachers for
other monks.

Namo Loe Savva- I bow down to all those in the These are monks (sadhus and
sahunam universe who live life simply and act sadhivs) who lead a spiritual life and
as an example for others act as teachers for householders.
Do you see Anekantavada in these drawings?
Test your understanding

1) According to Jainism, if we pray to God, good things will happen to us and we will
go to heaven. True / False.

2) Jains must worship Tirthankaras in order to go to heaven and attain a better life in the
present as well as the next birth: True / False.

3) The ultimate goal of a soul according to Jain philosophy is:

4) What are the three pillars (or “jewels”) of Jainism?

a)
b)
c)

5) The two MAIN categories of karmas are:

a)
b)

6) Kirpal donates to a charity and he fasts for 8 days because he knows that he will get
lots of good karma from it. He wants a good birth in the next life. Will this work for
him?

7) Jain philosophy states that we must attain as much good karma as possible to achieve
moksha (enlightenment). Please comment.

8) What are the five main vows, or Mahavratas, recommended by Jainism? State the
Sanskrit word or English equivalent.

a)
b)
c)
d)
e)

9) Dipti is holding a business meeting to get more clients. She wants to serve meat so
that she can attract more customers and make more money. She says that this is okay
because she has to make a living. Which Jain principles are involved in this scenario?

10) Pick the best description of Anekantvada:

a) everyone’s point of view is correct

b) everyone’s point of view is wrong
b) no single view can contain the complete truth about any subject. Only one with
infinite knowledge can know something completely

11) What is your understanding of who is a Jain?

12) Discuss what makes you a Jain?

Special Thanks

I would like to give thanks to Neelesh Jain and Nancy Jain, who were my co-
collaborators of this initial project years ago. Though most of their content is quite
altered, I have still retained most of the text, diagrams, and the spirit that Neelesh put into
the three pages. I have used Dr. Jagdish Prasad Jain, Vastupal Parikh, and Amar Salgia
as resources in this project. I have learned certain concepts better from them and
combined their terminologies to develop a better English vocabulary for Jain concepts
that are usually translated inadequately. Finally, whatever quality exists in this
document would not have been possible without the dedicated editing abilities of Ms.
Samara Nicholson. My gratitude to all of you!

Tushar Mehta