Jainism

Summary

Srichand Rampuria delivers an accessible overview of Jain philosophy, cosmology and ethics, emphasising the religion’s antiquity and independence from Brahmanism. He narrates how Ṛṣabha, the first Tīrthaṅkara, was king of Bhārata who taught his people agriculture, crafts and science before renouncing worldly life and initiating ninety‑eight of his one hundred sons into monkhood. Rsabha’s daughters Brahmī and Sundarī persuaded their brother Bahubali to overcome his ego, highlighting women’s spiritual agency. Rampuria notes that Rsabha’s name appears in the Vedas and Purāṇas, affirming Jainism’s ancient roots. The twenty‑second Tīrthaṅkara Ariṣṭanemi renounced his wedding after seeing animals destined for slaughter, furthering the ethic of ahiṃsā. Pārśvanātha preached the four‑fold nirgrantha religion and attained nirvāṇa 250 years before Mahāvīra. Mahāvīra, a contemporary of the Buddha, was a Kṣatriya prince who practised severe austerities and then taught the doctrine of anekānta (non‑absolutism) and syādvāda (relativity), emphasising that truth depends on perspective. Rampuria explains that Jainism posits six eternal substances—soul, matter, motion, rest, space and time—and rejects a creator god, viewing the universe as uncreated and self‑sustaining. Souls are equal in consciousness but appear different because of bodies formed by karma. Karma is a material substance that binds to the soul through actions driven by ignorance, passion and lack of restraint; liberation requires stopping the influx of new karma (saṃvara) and shedding accumulated karma (nirjarā). Jain ethics stress the five vows: non‑violence, truth, non‑stealing, chastity and non‑possession. While monks adhere to these as mahāvratas, householders follow them as lesser vows and practise additional supplementary vows (vratas), including periodic meditation, limiting possessions, giving alms and living like a monk for a day. Rampuria denounces caste distinctions, asserting that one’s caste across lifetimes has no bearing on virtue and that a true Brāhmaṇa is one who speaks truth and harms no creature. He highlights the equal participation of women in the Jain order. Ultimately, Jainism teaches self‑reliance, asserting that conquering one’s own mind is greater than conquering external foes. By emphasising restraint and personal responsibility, Jainism offers a practical path to spiritual freedom accessible to monks and householders alike.