Pros and Cons of Jainism

Interesting Facts About an Eastern Religion

May 1, 2009 Amy Clarke

As with any religion, the pros and cons of the philosophy and practices associated with Jainism can be noted.

Jainism is a unique religion with a lot of rules for followers to abide by. From an outsider’s point of view some of these rules might seem very obscure and not make a lot of sense. A list of pros and cons can be complied when it comes to the rules of this religion. Focusing on peace and equality are definitely pros whereas the many restrictions on everyday living can be viewed as cons.

Jainism's Focus on Peace

Starting with the pros, the positive attributes, Jainism is a religion that focuses on serene, peaceful living. If everyone went through their days ensuring that every single move they made would not harm anyone or anything, the world would be a much different place. War, fighting, and terrorism would definitely not exist and everyone would be very compassionate and conscientious.

Equality All Around in Jainism

Another pro that is evident in the Jain way is the equality among all living beings. This pro goes hand-in-hand with the peaceful way of life promoted by Jains.

There is no caste system in Jainism, everyone is equal and every soul is capable of becoming liberated. This is a much different outlook than the majority of cultures. Money and possessions mean more to such a large number of people than their own family or the well being of others around them.

On to the Cons of Jainism

Focusing now on the cons of Jainism, a negative aspect of the religion is that its followers must abide by some very extreme rules. Everyday things that are considered allowable in most cultures and religions such as getting immunizations, eating meat, lighting fires, digging in the ground, and eating after sundown are taboo in Jainism.

The Reasons For the Rules

Getting immunized is not permitted for two reasons, the first being that bacterial life would be harmed and the second is that during the process of making an immunization a life is harmed. Most immunizations use the embryos of chickens in the serum - eggs. By getting an immunization it would only be encouraging and supporting this practice.

It may seem odd to think that digging in the ground should be outlawed but in the eyes of a Jain this would be tragic. The belief is that digging will cause harm to many life forms; insects, worms, grass and microscopic life could potentially be harmed.

Occupational Restrictions

In most aspects of a Jain’s life there are restrictions and suggestions to help the soul reach liberation. Possible occupations are limited to ones that would not cause harm to another living being.

There are six particular fields of occupation that are the most respectable. These are writing, government, farming, the arts, commerce, and crafts. Some of these occupations are more respectable than others.

For example, an occupation in farming would not be as respectable of a choice because agricultural methods used, such as the use of animals to pull ploughs or draining land to plant crops could cause much harm to the life of another being. The animals may be forced to pull heavy machinery against their own will and draining the land to plant and harvest crops would force many species out of their habitat.

A respectable occupational choice may be in sales, providing the selling is not of goods that will or have caused harm to life.

There are of course pros and cons that can be found when studying any religion. Jainism incorporates some very unique practices to help the soul become liberated such as placing restrictions on occupations and always remaining focused on peace and equality.

To learn more interesting facts about Jainism see the article titled An Introduction to Jainism.

Fisher, M.P. Living Religions, Fifth Edition. Laurence King Publishing Ltd., London, 2002.

The copyright of the article Pros and Cons of Jainism in Philosophy is owned by Amy Clarke. Permission to republish Pros and Cons of Jainism in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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