Ethical Code

The supreme ideals of the Jain religion are nonviolence (Ahimsa), equal kindness, reverence for all forms of life, no possessiveness and nonabsolutism (Anekantvad) in speech, thought and action. Above all it is a religion of love and compassion to all living beings. At the heart of right conduct for Jains are the following five great vows:

These vows cannot be fully implemented without the acceptance of a philosophy of non-absolutism (Anekantvad) and the theory of relativity (Syadvad). These concepts are fundamental to understanding the true nature of the universe, life and reality. Monks and nuns practice these vows with utmost dedication, while lay people follow the vows as far as their life styles and personal commitments permit.

Ahimsa (Compassion / Non-violence)

The basic tenet of Jainism is "Ahimsa Parmo Dharma". From an ethical point of view Dharma means duty - compassion is the supreme duty of an individual. From a religious point of view, Dharma means the true nature of a substance - compassion is the true nature of a human being. Also the Jain dictum "Parasparopagraho jivanam" means, "Living beings (Souls) render service to one another."

Ahimsa is a principle that Jains teach and strive to practice not only towards human beings but also towards all nature. The scriptures tell us: "Do not injure, abuse, oppress, enslave, insult, torment, torture or kill any living being including not only plant and vegetables and animals but also earth bodied, water bodied, fire bodied and wind bodied living beings.

The teaching of ahimsa refers not only to the avoidance of wars and physical acts of violence but also to the avoidance of violence in the hearts and minds of human beings. Ahimsa also refers to an active concern and compassion for fellow humans and other living beings. Ancient Jain texts explain that the intention to harm and the absence of compassion is what makes actions violent.

Ahimsa also has a deeper meaning in the context of one's spiritual advancement. Violence to others in any form by our body, mind or speech leads to the acquisition of new karma, which hinders the soul's own spiritual progress. In other words, violence towards others is violence to one's own soul because it impedes one's own spiritual progress. The path of nonviolence leads to one's own spiritual progress and liberation from karma.

In a positive sense, ahimsa means caring for and sharing with all living beings as well as tending to, protecting and serving them. It entails universal friendliness (maitri), universal forgiveness (kshama) and universal fearlessness (abhaya).

Shrutajnana

Shrutajnana is the collection of established truths, the authority of which is unchallengeable. In other systems it is known as Agama. The Jainas do not admit any scriptures, which are the Revelations from a supernatural authority. Their Shrutajnana, which they called Agama is the body of truths which were described by the Tirthankaras or persons who attained fullest perfection of their being.

Naya

The above modes of cognition in a Jiva are called the Pramanas. Properly applied, the Pramanas reveal the nature of an object in its entirety. But often, instead of a plenary knowledge of it, we have but a partial cognition of it, which is also useful in its own way. Such a detached knowledge is called the Naya by Jainas. The Naya is of seven forms.

1. Naigama
2. Samgraha
3. Vyavahara
4. Rijusutra
5. Shabda
6. Samabhirudha
7. Evambhuta

1. Naigama: This form of Naya considers a thing by its purpose only and ignores for the time being its real nature.

2. Samgraha: Samgraha consist in what is called classification and considers a thing with reference only to those points in which it is similar to the other things of its class.

3. Vyavahara: This Naya is but the process of specification and consists in emphasizing only the peculiar aspect of a thing under consideration.

4. Rijusutra: Rijusutra limits the circumference of a thing still more and is based on a progressive process of Individuation. It accepts a thing as it is in present time only and omits its consideration as it was in the past or as it will be in future.

5. Shabda: This form of Naya and the two following it, are concerned with the meanings of words. The Shabda Naya attributes one and the same meaning to the synonyms.

6. Samabhirudha: Samabhirudha looks to the derivation of words and applies different meanings even to synonyms with reference to their derivation.

7. Evambhuta: Evambhuta limits the significance of a word still more and points out that a thing is to be called by a name, only so long as it actually exercises the activity, signified by the root-meaning of the word.

The above are broadly speaking the modes or faculties of knowledge recognized in the Jaina philosophy. True knowledge is an exact representation of its object. It follows that the nature of true knowledge is determined by the nature of its object. And this leads us to consideration of Syadavada or Anekantavada.

Anekantavada (Doctrine of many Viewpoints)

The concept of universal interdependence underpins the Jain theory of knowledge, known as Anekantavada or the doctrine of many aspects. In this ever-changing universe an infinite number of viewpoints exist. These viewpoints depend on the time, place, circumstances and nature of individuals. Anekantavada means acceptance of all viewpoints, which are positive in nature. This is known as non-absolutism.

This leads to the doctrine of Syadvad or relativity, which states that expression of truth is relative to different viewpoints (nayas). What is true from one point of view is open to question from another. Absolute truth cannot be grasped from any particular viewpoint. Absolute truth is the sum total of individual truths from many different viewpoints. Even if they seem to contradict each other.

Because it is rooted in the doctrines of Anekantavada and Syadvad, Jainism does not look upon the universe from an anthropocentric, ethnocentric or egocentric viewpoint. It takes into account the positive viewpoints of other human beings, other communities and other nations.

A deeper understanding of Anekantavada and Syadvad provides great insight into the problems of human interactions that cause conflict, grief, envy and hatred. Similarly it is highly applicable in understanding social problems and national strife. More importantly these doctrines also provide ways of resolving global differences and conflicts.

Syadavada is the distinguishing feature of Jaina philosophy. It points out that reality or the true nature of a thing cannot be explained in one absolute statement. The Jainas maintain that a thing is possessed of many attributes and we express the thing only in terms of one or more of its attributes. The relationship between the thing and that attribute cannot, however, be fully stated in one unmodifiable judgment. Take for, instance, the case of cocoanut-fruit-water. It tastes to a person who has not eaten a sweet food just before drinking that cocoanut-fruit-water. But the same cocoanut-fruit-water will not taste sweet to a person who has eaten sweet things just before drinking that water. What, then, are we to state about the nature of the cocoanut-fruit-water? To one it is sweet to another it is not sweet. The Jainas accordingly holds that a proposition purporting to express a truth, should contain a proviso, such as, “in some respects” – Syat. The cocoanut-water is no doubt sweet, - but in “some respects only” i.e. to a person peculiarly circumstanced, as shown before. It is also not sweet ‘in some respect’ i.e. to another person, as shown above.

The Jainas point out that regarding the nature of a real, seven statements may be made, - each statement stressing one partial aspect of a thing and the seven statements in their entirety, expressing the full nature of it.

These seven statements in case of the cocoanut-water, for example, are: -

1. In some respects, it is sweet.
2. In some respects, it is not sweet.
3. In some respects, it is sweet and then not sweet. In this proposition, the presence of sweetness and its absence are considered one after another.
4. In some respects, it is inexpressible i.e. sweet and not sweet. Here the presence of sweetness and its absence are taken into account simultaneously. But though a thing in its nature is thus many-sided, language cannot express those many sides in and through one and the same expression. Hence the nature of a thing is inexpressible, in some respects i.e. so far as language is concerned.
5. In some respects, it is sweet and then inexpressible.
6. In some respects, it is not sweet and then it is inexpressible.
7. In some respects it is sweet; then not sweet; and then inexpressible. The last three propositions are based on varied combinations of the considerations, involved in the previous propositions.

The Syadvada thus insists on a careful consideration of the nature of a thing in all its manifold aspects and dissuades the enquirer from forming one-sided absolute views. It is well known that different schools propound directly opposite theories regarding the nature of the real.

The Jainas in consistency with their doctrine of the Anekanta took a comprehensive view of reality. According to them, a Real has Utpada or emergence, Vyaya or annihilation and Dhrauvya or substantial persistence. In other words, the varied modifications of a thing, though impermanent, are nevertheless real in some respects while underlying those modes, the permanent substratum as a real persists unchanged in some respects i.e. so far as its constituent substantiality is concerned.

Non Possessions and Non-acquisitiveness

Jain ascetics have no possessions. Similarly, Jainism advocates that lay followers should minimize their accumulation of possessions and enjoyment for personal ends. Generously giving charitable donations and one's own time for community projects are a part of a Jain householder's obligations. This sense of social obligation cultivated from religious teachings has led Jains to establish and maintain innumerable schools, colleges, hospitals, clinics, orphanages, relief and rehabilitation camps for the handicapped, old, sick and disadvantaged as well as hospitals for ailing birds and animals.

Wants should be reduced, desires curbed and consumption levels kept within reasonable limits. Using any resource beyond one's needs and misuse of any part of nature is considered a form of theft. The Jain faith goes one radical step further and declares unequivocally that waste and creating pollution are acts of violence.

Relevance to Modern Times

The principles of Jainism if properly understood in their right perspective and faithfully adhered to, have great relevance for modern times. They establish universal friendship and peace through nonviolence arid true social equity based on non-acquisitiveness. They reconcile diverse religious faiths, political parties, and communal and racial factions through the philosophies of non-absolutism and relativism. They promote ecological conservation through the values of self-restraint, an austere life-style and nonpossessiveness. These principles can bring contentment, inner happiness and joy in the present life through spiritual development based on freedom from passions.

This elevates the soul to a higher spiritual level, ultimately achieving perfect enlightenment, reaching its final destination of eternal bliss, and ending all cycles of birth and death.

The Holy Death (Samlekhana)

Jainism believes that one should meet death in a state of complete awareness. Hence it allows the very spiritually advanced person to gradually terminate his or her life by certain practices (principally fasting) under specified circumstances and under the supervision of an ascetic. This is sanctioned only when a person strongly feels that he or she is a burden to society and can no longer progress further spiritually because for health reasons. Jainism does not advocate suicide, assisted suicide, mercy killing, or the removal of life-support devices.

"The Jains have written great masterpieces only for the benefit of the world."

-Dr Hertel

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