Are Jainas Hindus?

Summary

K.B. Jindal’s article challenges the assertion by Jawaharlal Nehru and other commentators that Jainism is simply a branch of Hinduism. Jindal begins by quoting Banerjee J.’s judgement in the 1957 case ‘Commissioner of Wealth Tax vs. Chunilal Rajkumar Singh’ to show that the courts regard Jainism as a distinct religion. He then enumerates doctrinal differences between Jains and Hindus. First, Jainism repudiates the concept of an omnipotent creator; while Hindus describe Brahman as the source of the universe, Jains see the cosmos as eternal and governed by natural laws. Second, Jain epistemology denies absolute truth and promotes the doctrine of syādvāda (non‑absolutism), whereas Hindu schools often claim their scriptures are infallible. Third, Jindal emphasises that the Jain classification of souls according to the number of sense organs predates Darwinian evolution and differs markedly from the Hindu conception of a unified atman. He notes that Jains attribute consciousness to all living beings and extend non‑violence to include care for microorganisms. Fourth, the author points out that the Jain doctrine of karma is objective, whereas Hindu systems sometimes interpret karma as divine retribution. Fifth, Jains reject the authority of the Vedas and do not regard Hindu rituals as efficacious. Jindal criticises census and government forms that automatically list Jains as Hindus and urges Jain communities to assert their religious identity in official records. The article concludes by affirming that, despite cultural overlaps and legal ambiguities, Jainism possesses a distinct metaphysics, cosmology and ethical system. Jindal argues that recognising Jainism as an independent religion is essential both for historical accuracy and for the self‑respect of the Jain community.