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Jainism and Environmental Ethics: An Exploration

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Abstract

In this paper, an attempt has been made to examine some of the key concepts of Jaina religion from an environmental perspective. The paper focuses on Jain’s parasparopagraho jīvānām or interconnectedness. The common concerns between Jainism and environmentalism constituted in a mutual sensitivity towards living beings, a recognition of the interconnectedness of life forms and a programme to augment awareness to respect and protect living systems. The paper will also investigate how ahiṃsā or non-violence is understood in the Jain community and also how this concept bears a positive influence in maintaining ecological balance. The paper aims to show that the practice of non-violence is limited not only to actions but extends to words and thoughts. In this process, I attempt to show the development of “intellectual ahiṃsā” where non-violence is rooted in Jain anekāntavāda that is in the tolerance of other religions, thoughts and believes. The Jain’s radical egalitarianism does away with the charges of anthropocentricism labelled against it. In fact, the Jain virtue ethics, compassion and tolerance are instrumental in creating an environment that was conducive to peaceful and productive multi-sectarian interaction both in society and ecology.

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Notes

  1. Pavayanasāro, Gāthā 47, Published in the Sramaṇa Siddhānta Pāṭhāvalī (Jaipur: Kunthuvijaya Granthamālā Samiti, 1982), 476.

  2. Manuṣyajātirekaiva jāti nāmodayaodbhavā vṛttibhedāhitadbhedāccaturvidhyamihasnute’ Jinasena’s Ādipurāṇa, ed.Pannalal Jain, second edition. Bharatiya Jnanapitha: Delhi (1998, verse-38.45).

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Acknowledgements

Special thanks to the anonymous reviewers for their perceptive comments and insightful suggestions which have served to improve this paper. Thanks also to Professor Priyambada Sarkar of the Department of Philosophy, University of Calcutta for her valuable guidance.

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Correspondence to Piyali Mitra.

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Mitra, P. Jainism and Environmental Ethics: An Exploration. J. Indian Counc. Philos. Res. 36, 3–22 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40961-018-0158-6

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