Religion (Dharma) - A Social Necessity: Jaina Perspective

Summary

The article explores the Jaina conception of dharma as a necessary social institution. It opens with a discussion of cosmic time, which in Jaina ontology oscillates between ascending (utsarpiṇī) and descending (avasarpiṇī) cycles, moving from eras of extreme virtue to extreme vice. Human degeneration during the descending cycle is attributed to intrinsic passions (kaṣāyas) such as anger, pride, deceit and, especially, greed. Early human society was guided by a succession of kulakaras (guardians) who attempted to check greed through admonition and law, but ultimately the last guardian, Ṛṣabha, adopted new livelihoods such as agriculture and crafts and forged weapons to control wrongdoing. After realising that coercion was insufficient, he renounced worldly power, embraced self‑discipline and rediscovered the path of ahiṃsā (non‑violence), becoming the first of the twenty‑four Tīrthaṅkaras. Poddar argues that religion (dharma) arose out of this social necessity to restrain passions and maintain harmony. He cites the Mahābhārata’s definition of dharma as that which sustains society and notes that its guiding principle is ahiṃsā. Jainism therefore regards itself as vinayamūlā dharma – an ethics‑based religion grounded in humility and self‑restraint. The article contrasts this with the Bhagavad Gītā’s concept of divine intervention to restore dharma and emphasises that Jaina Tīrthaṅkaras are not avatars but perfected human teachers who appear when social disorder warrants guidance. The author details the ethical framework prescribed for monks and householders. Monks undertake the five mahāvratas (abstention from killing, falsehood, theft, unchastity and possession) and observe strict samitis (regulations) that minimise harm to six categories of living beings ranging from earth‑bodied to mobile organisms. Householders follow similar vows in attenuated form (aṇuvratas) and practise seven supplementary disciplines restricting consumption, movement, wasteful activity, and occupation. The differentiation acknowledges the practical needs of lay life while orienting it towards non‑violence and self‑control. By examining cosmic history, the legend of Ṛṣabha and the codification of vows, Poddar demonstrates that Jaina dharma is both worldly and transcendent. It addresses immediate social conflicts by curbing greed and violence and simultaneously paves the way for spiritual liberation through ethical conduct. The article ultimately portrays religion as an indispensable social instrument that channels human passions into moral discipline and non‑violent coexistence.