Is There A Popular Jainism?
By Arvind Sharma
Summary
In this essay, Arvind Sharma asks whether there is such a thing as a ‘popular’ Jainism distinct from the religion’s more austere monastic tradition. He rejects as too vague the idea of simply listing traits such as lay practices, non‑canonical rituals, women’s cults, magic or traces of Hindu influence. Instead he responds to a panel discussion by offering five critical points. First, scholarship often emphasizes Hindu influence on Jainism but neglects the reverse. Sharma cites the cult of the goddess Padmāvatī—originally popular among Jain devotees but subsequently adopted by Brahmins—to illustrate how Jainism could influence popular Hindu practice. Second, he considers the association of magic with popular religion. Drawing an analogy with Taoism, he argues that scattered magical elements in Jain texts are insufficient evidence for a distinct popular Jainism; we must ask when magic ceases to be an isolated folk practice and becomes part of religious life. Third, he discusses devotionalism. Sharma distinguishes between reverential, unilateral and reciprocal devotion and notes that Jain tradition generally eschews worship directed toward deities in exchange for worldly benefits. Fourth, he addresses the worship of goddesses such as Sarasvatī and Lakṣmī. He quotes manuscript evidence suggesting that some Jains did view these goddesses as grantors of salvation or worldly success, potentially pointing to a popular strand of Jainism. Finally, he raises the possibility of foreign influence on popular Jainism, citing historian B. N. Puri’s claim that foreign groups were assimilated into the Jain fold; archaeological and literary sources suggest that foreigners accepted Jainism and may have shaped lay practice. Throughout the essay Sharma stresses the need for more careful definitions and empirical research. He calls for field studies to explore how lay Jains actually practice their religion and warns against facile generalizations. The five points he raises—reciprocal influence between Jainism and Hinduism, the role of magic, devotionalism, goddess worship and foreign assimilation—serve as avenues for investigating whether a distinctly popular Jainism exists and, if so, how it differs from canonical Jain teaching. By the end of the article he suggests that although evidence is preliminary, it is sufficient to justify further exploration into the lived religion of Jain laity.
Conclusion
Sharma concludes that the question of a popular Jainism cannot be answered without better definitions and empirical evidence. He identifies several promising areas—Jain influence on Hinduism, magical practices, forms of devotion, goddess worship and the assimilation of foreigners—that merit investigation. Rather than treating scattered phenomena as proof of a separate tradition, he urges scholars to undertake sociological research to understand how lay Jains practice their faith and how their practices relate to canonical doctrine.