Basic Religious Attitudes in Jainism

Summary

This programmatic paper surveys the Jain way to liberation through the triad of samyag‑darshana (right faith), samyag‑jnana (right knowledge), and samyag‑charitra (right conduct), coordinating these with the disciplines of ahimsa and bhakti. Beginning with epistemic humility, the author situates anekantavada and syadvada not as mere logical curiosities but as ethical safeguards against dogmatism and violence. The discussion of karma theory distinguishes mental, verbal and bodily violences and shows how even “necessary” harms can be minimized through vigilance, vows and intelligent livelihood. A central section parses bhakti in a rigorously Jain key: devotion is not petitionary but transformative, aligning the aspirant’s energy with the Tirthankaras’ path and with the guru’s living instruction. The paper then maps cosmological and ontological commitments—substances (dravya), qualities (guna), and modes (paryaya)—to practical disciplines: meditation, fasting, confession (pratikramana), and service. Citations from canonical sutras and later thinkers anchor the synthesis. The upshot is an integrated ethic where metaphysics, psychology and social responsibility reinforce one another: non‑absolutism humbles the mind; knowledge clarifies means and ends; vows reorder daily habits; and devotion keeps the enterprise warm‑hearted rather than arid. In a plural society, such an attitude promises both personal serenity and civic non‑violence.