Jainism

Jainism, also known as Jain Dharma, is an ancient Indian religion focused on spiritual purity.

It teaches a path toward enlightenment through disciplined non-violence toward all living creatures. The tradition is guided by twenty-four supreme teachers called Tirthankaras, or "ford-makers." These teachers have conquered the cycle of rebirth and achieved omniscience, which is perfect knowledge. The ultimate spiritual goal for followers is moksha, or liberation from the cycle of rebirth known as Saṃsāra.

Jain philosophy is built upon three ethical pillars: ahimsa, anekantavada, and aparigraha. Ahimsa is the principle of non-violence or non-injury. It is considered the highest religious duty. Jains must not harm any living being through actions, speech, or thoughts. Anekantavada is the doctrine of many-sided reality. This idea asserts that truth and reality are complex and have many aspects. Because of this, no single viewpoint can claim absolute truth. This encourages intellectual humility and helps resolve conflicts.

The third pillar, aparigraha, is non-possession or non-attachment. This involves limiting material possessions and avoiding greed. For monks and nuns, this means renouncing all property and social relations.

To achieve liberation, Jains follow a path called the Ratnatraya, or the Three Jewels. These jewels consist of samyak darśana (right vision), samyak gyana (right knowledge), and samyak charitra (correct conduct). Some texts add a fourth jewel, samyak tapas, which is correct asceticism. These jewels guide the soul through the seven fundamental truths, known as the tattvas. The process begins with the jiva, the sentient soul, and ajiva, non-living substances. As a soul acts, it experiences asrava, the inflow of karmic particles. This leads to bandha, the bondage of karma to the soul.

To escape, one must practice samvara to stop new karma and nirjarā to shed old karma. Eventually, the soul reaches moksha.

Jainism views karma differently than many other Indian religions. In Jainism, karma is conceived as a physical, material substance called pudgala. These are subtle, invisible particles of matter that exist in the universe. Vibrational energy, or virya, draws these particles to the soul. This "karmic dirt" sticks to the soul and obscures its pure qualities of bliss. This bondage is what causes the soul to be trapped in Saṃsāra. By following strict vows, Jains aim to purify the soul of these physical particles.

Followers observe five ethical vows to guide their lives. For laypersons, these are called anuvratas, or small vows. For monks and nuns, they are mahavratas, or great vows. The five vows are ahimsa (non-violence), satya (truth), asteya (not stealing), brahmacharya (celibacy), and aparigraha (non-possession). For monks and nuns, celibacy is a strict requirement. For laypersons, it means faithfulness to a partner. Jains also observe supplementary vows, including the rare ritual of sallekhana. This is a voluntary, gradual reduction of food and liquid to end life with dispassion.

The history of Jainism is seen as eternal, following cosmic time cycles. In the current cycle, the first Tirthankara was Rishabhanatha, who established civilized society. The 23rd Tirthankara, Pārśvanātha, lived around the 4th century BCE. The 24th and final Tirthankara was Mahavira. Mahavira was a contemporary of the Buddha and helped establish the current ascetic order. Today, there are between four and five million followers. Most Jains live in India, but there are communities in North America, Europe, and East Asia.

The Jain community is divided into two major sub-traditions. These are the Digambara, or "sky-clad," and the Śvētāmbara, or "white-clad." They differ regarding ascetic practices, gender, and certain sacred texts. However, both groups share the same core philosophy. Despite their small population, Jains have a large influence on Indian culture. They have contributed significantly to logic, art, architecture, and legal frameworks. Their commitment to non-violence also historically moved them toward trade and banking. This helped them become a dominant mercantile force in ancient and medieval India.