Some Special Aspects of Jain Philosophy as a School of Indian Philosophy
By Arvind Sharma
Summary
As a school of Indian philosophy, Jainism exhibits distinct features beyond its well‑known emphasis on karma, time, space, epistemological relativity, ahimsa and nudity. Arvind Sharma surveys how leading scholars draw attention to less familiar aspects of Jain thought. He begins with Jainism’s conception of the jīva – the soul is capable of expansion and contraction and its non‑spatial character is affected by its association with matter; thus Jainism denies the soul’s immutable nature. Sharma notes that knowledge is not something the jīva acquires but its very essence; in Jain epistemology the removal of obstacles allows omniscience to emerge. Quoting M. Hiriyanna, P.T. Raju and other scholars, he examines the unique role of the sense organs and mind in Jainism, the classification of living beings and the notion that plants have souls. He discusses Ninian Smart’s observation that Jainism’s nigoda (infinitesimal life‑forms) supply souls for the saṃsāra, ensuring the world is never empty of life. The essay also explores how Jain thinkers distinguish causal conditions and identify subtle instrumental causes like space and time. Sharma concludes that once scholars move beyond Jainism’s major doctrines, the tradition offers many unique philosophical insights that remain underappreciated.
Conclusion
Sharma emphasises that Jain philosophy possesses distinctive insights into the nature of the soul, knowledge and causation. Beyond its familiar doctrines, Jainism offers a nuanced understanding of how the jīva interacts with matter and how omniscience emerges when obstacles are removed. These less‑known features broaden our appreciation of Jain thought as a unique school of Indian philosophy.