The Notion of Dharma in Jainism: A Comparative View

Summary

In Jainism the Sanskrit term ‘dharma’ has a multi‑layered meaning that differs from its usage in Hinduism and Buddhism. On the ethical plane it refers to right conduct, which is embodied in the five vows of non‑violence, truthfulness, non‑stealing, chastity and non‑possession. Jain lay texts like the Ratnakaranda śrāvakācāra describe how laypersons should practise these virtues and cultivate right faith, knowledge and conducthttps://www.geeksforgeeks.org/social-science/literature-of-jain-religion/#:~:text=Ethics%20and%20Conduct%20Ratnakaranda%20%C5%9Br%C4%81vak%C4%81c%C4%81ra,of%20Jainism%20through%20their%20stories. On the metaphysical level, however, ‘dharma’ designates a non‑sentient substance called Dharmastikaya. The article explains that Dharmastikaya is formed from the words dharma (‘motion’) and astikaya (‘collection of spaces’)https://jainworld.com/languages/jw-in-world-languages/english/jain-philosophy/fundamentals-tattvas/non-living-things-ajiv/#:~:text=Dharmastikay%20is%20formed%20from%20two,Astikay%20means%20collection%20of%20spaces. It is not religion but the medium that allows souls (jivas) and matter (pudgala) to move; without it, movement would be impossiblehttps://jainworld.com/languages/jw-in-world-languages/english/jain-philosophy/fundamentals-tattvas/non-living-things-ajiv/#:~:text=Dharmastikay%20is%20formed%20from%20two,Astikay%20means%20collection%20of%20spaces. Its counterpart is Adharmastikay, which is the medium of rest; again, this term does not mean irreligion but enables beings to stop movinghttps://jainworld.com/languages/jw-in-world-languages/english/jain-philosophy/fundamentals-tattvas/non-living-things-ajiv/#:~:text=This%20term%20is%20also%20formed,but%20is%20absent%20in%20alok. These two media exist in the inhabited universe (lokakash) and are absent in the empty space beyond. By comparing these notions with the Hindu concept of dharma as righteousness or social duty and the Buddhist notion of dhamma as the teachings and ultimate constituents of reality, the article highlights Jainism’s distinctive cosmological categories. It argues that while Hindus and Buddhists use dharma to denote moral law and the teachings of the Buddha, Jains separate moral dharma (right conduct) from the dravya (substance) called dharma. This dual usage is tied to Jain metaphysics, which classifies the universe into six substances: soul, matter, space, time, and the media of motion and rest. The article suggests that appreciating this distinction clarifies misunderstandings about Jain philosophy and underscores the system’s unique cosmology. It further contrasts Jain doctrines with the broad Indian notion of dharma, noting that Jain ethics emphasises personal discipline and non‑violence, while its metaphysics depicts a deterministic universe where moral and physical processes operate through inherent principles.