Introduction to Jain Philosophy
A clear introduction to Jain philosophy: ahimsa, anekantavada, aparigraha, the three jewels, the seven tattvas, the five vows, karma and key texts.
By Sanskritam Academy Editorial TeamPublished 5 min read
Jain philosophy is one of the oldest living traditions of thought in India. Jains revere twenty-four Tīrthaṅkaras, teachers who showed the path to liberation; the first is Ṛṣabhanātha and the twenty-fourth is Mahāvīra. This article introduces the main ideas in simple terms, using the original Sanskrit and Prakrit words so that you can recognise them when you read the texts.
The two main traditions, Digambara and Śvetāmbara, agree on the core principles described here but differ on some points of practice, history and scripture. This article does not take a side on those points.
Three central principles
- Ahiṃsā (अहिंसा), non-violence: not harming any living being in thought, word or action. Jain texts treat all living beings, including the smallest, as possessing a soul, so care extends to food, speech and occupation.
- Anekāntavāda (अनेकान्तवाद), the doctrine of many-sidedness: reality has many aspects, and any single statement describes it from one standpoint only. The related method of syādvāda qualifies statements with syāt, 'from a certain point of view'.
- Aparigraha (अपरिग्रह), non-possessiveness: limiting possessions and, more importantly, attachment to them.
The three jewels (ratnatraya)
The path to liberation is summed up in the first sūtra of the Tattvārthasūtra, a Sanskrit text accepted by both Digambara and Śvetāmbara Jains.
सम्यग्दर्शनज्ञानचारित्राणि मोक्षमार्गः ॥samyagdarśanajñānacāritrāṇi mokṣamārgaḥ ||
- Hindi meaning
- सम्यग्दर्शन, सम्यग्ज्ञान और सम्यक्चारित्र — ये तीनों मिलकर मोक्ष का मार्ग हैं।
- English meaning
- Right faith, right knowledge and right conduct together are the path to liberation.
- Word by word
- सम्यक् (samyak) — right, correct; applies to all three termsदर्शन (darśana) — faith, right viewज्ञान (jñāna) — knowledgeचारित्राणि (cāritrāṇi) — conduct (plural ending for the three together)मोक्षमार्गः (mokṣamārgaḥ) — the path to liberation
- Context
- The word mārgaḥ is singular: the three are one path and must be followed together, not three separate paths.
| Jewel | Sanskrit | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Samyag-darśana | सम्यग्दर्शन | Right faith: conviction in the true nature of reality |
| Samyag-jñāna | सम्यग्ज्ञान | Right knowledge: accurate understanding of the tattvas |
| Samyak-cāritra | सम्यक्चारित्र | Right conduct: living in accordance with that understanding |
The seven tattvas
The Tattvārthasūtra (1.4) lists seven tattvas, or fundamental truths, which explain how the soul becomes bound and how it is freed.
| Tattva | Sanskrit | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Jīva | जीव | The soul, the living and conscious substance |
| Ajīva | अजीव | Non-living substances, including matter |
| Āsrava | आस्रव | The inflow of karma towards the soul |
| Bandha | बन्ध | The binding of karma to the soul |
| Saṃvara | संवर | The stopping of the inflow |
| Nirjarā | निर्जरा | The shedding of karma already bound |
| Mokṣa | मोक्ष | Liberation, complete freedom from karma |
Some traditions and texts count nine by adding puṇya (पुण्य, merit) and pāpa (पाप, demerit) as separate items; others include these two under āsrava and bandha.
Karma in brief
In Jain thought karma is not only a moral law but a very fine form of matter. Through activity of mind, speech and body, and under the influence of passions (kaṣāya: anger, pride, deceit and greed), karmic matter flows in and binds to the soul, obscuring its natural knowledge and bliss. Eight main kinds of karma are described, for example jñānāvaraṇīya, which obscures knowledge, and mohanīya, which deludes. Restraint stops new karma (saṃvara), austerity helps shed old karma (nirjarā), and when all karma is removed the soul attains mokṣa.
The five vows
| Vow | Sanskrit | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Ahiṃsā | अहिंसा | Non-violence |
| Satya | सत्य | Truthfulness |
| Asteya (also acaurya) | अस्तेय | Not taking what is not given |
| Brahmacarya | ब्रह्मचर्य | Celibacy for ascetics; chastity and fidelity for householders |
| Aparigraha | अपरिग्रह | Non-possessiveness |
Monks and nuns observe these fully as the great vows (mahāvrata). Householders observe them in a limited form as the minor vows (aṇuvrata).
Living beings support one another
परस्परोपग्रहो जीवानाम् ॥parasparopagraho jīvānām ||
- Hindi meaning
- जीव एक-दूसरे का उपकार करते हैं; परस्पर सहयोग जीवों का कार्य है।
- English meaning
- Souls render service to one another.
- Word by word
- परस्पर (paraspara) — mutual, one anotherउपग्रहः (upagrahaḥ) — help, support, serviceजीवानाम् (jīvānām) — of living beings, of souls
- Context
- This sūtra comes from the fifth chapter, which describes the substances and their functions. It is widely used as a motto of the Jain community. By sandhi, paraspara + upagrahaḥ becomes parasparopagrahaḥ.
Key texts and their languages
- The Āgamas, the canonical scriptures preserved in the Śvetāmbara tradition, are in Prakrit (Ardhamāgadhī), not Sanskrit.
- The Ṇamokāra Mantra, the most widely recited Jain prayer, is also in Prakrit. It begins णमो अरिहंताणं (ṇamo arihaṃtāṇaṃ).
- The Digambara tradition holds texts such as the Ṣaṭkhaṇḍāgama and the works of Ācārya Kundakunda, for example the Samayasāra, in high regard; these too are in Prakrit.
- The Tattvārthasūtra of Umāsvāti (Umāsvāmī in the Digambara tradition) is in Sanskrit and is accepted by both traditions, with some differences in the readings and commentaries.
- Many later commentaries, philosophical works and hymns, such as the Bhaktāmara Stotra, are in Sanskrit.
Because the texts are in two related languages, a student benefits from knowing how they differ; see Sanskrit vs Prakrit. To read the Sanskrit sūtras yourself you need basic grammar, which is introduced in Sanskrit grammar basics.
Sanskritam Academy offers a Jain philosophy course taught live online, one-to-one or in small groups, in Hindi or English.