Jaina view of Dharma

Here is a simple Jain view of Dharma (righteous conduct) in brief:

• What Dharma means in Jainism

- Dharma is the path of righteous conduct and virtue that leads a person toward liberation (moksha). It is not just belief but practical behavior and attitude that prevent and burn karmic bondage.

• Core ideas that constitute Dharma

- Ahimsa (non-violence): the highest principle; avoiding harm to all living beings in thought, speech, and action. - Satya (truth): speaking truth with compassion and without deceit. - Asteya (non-stealing): taking only what is freely given. - Brahmacharya (celibacy or controlled conduct): appropriately regulated sexual conduct; for householders it means fidelity and self-control, for monks it means complete celibacy. - Aparigraha (non-attachment or non-possessiveness): limiting possessions and desires to reduce dependence on the material world.

• For lay followers vs. monks

- Lay practitioners follow five anuvratas (small vows) derived from the five great vows: ahimsa, satya, asteya, brahmacharya (fidelity/controlled conduct), and aparigraha. - Monks and nuns take the five mahavratas (great vows): the same five, but in a more strict, full-time form, guiding all aspects of their conduct. - In addition to the vows, Jain Dharma emphasizes practicing Samyak Darshan (Right Faith), Samyak Jnana (Right Knowledge), and Samyak Charitra (Right Conduct)—the trio of the Three Jewels or threefold path that supports liberation.

• Differences between Digambara and Śvetāmbara traditions

- The essential Dharma—the five vows and the ethic of non-violence, truth, non-stealing, chastity, and non-attachment—remains the same in both traditions. - There are practical and doctrinal differences in ritual practice, interpretation of some vows, and certain disciplinary codes (e.g., a few ritual details or dress code for monks). The fundamental aim of purifying conduct to shed karma and attain moksha is shared.

• The spiritual aim

- Dharma in Jainism is not only personal virtue but a pragmatic path that gradually purifies the soul of karmic impurities, allowing it to rise to its true nature—pure, conscious, and free from bondage.

If you’d like, I can give you a concise list of the specific vows (anuvratas and mahavratas) with brief explanations for lay followers or for monks, or point to a Jain scripture reference that outlines these in more detail.