Is love a violation of Jainism?
In Jainism, love is not automatically a violation.
What matters is the nature of the attachment:
- Compassion, kindness, and care for all beings are encouraged.
- Possessive attachment, craving, jealousy, and dependency are forms of rāga and are obstacles on the path of liberation.
- For a householder, affectionate relationships are allowed, but they should be guided by restraint, non-violence, truth, and non-attachment.
- For a monk or nun, strong personal attachment and worldly love are to be renounced completely.
So, in Jainism:
- Pure goodwill and compassion are acceptable and praised.
- Clinging or possessive love is binding karma and should be reduced.
In short: Love is not wrong in Jainism, but attachment-centered love is spiritually harmful.