Your criticism identifies a real Jain concern: empty ritual without right inner state is not the goal of Jain Dharma. Jainism does not teach that beads, chanting, fasting, or temple-visits by themselves are enough for liberation.

But your conclusion is too absolute, because it treats all japa and all ritual as merely mechanical. In Jainism, the issue is not the external act alone, but the bhāva behind it.

Jain view in brief

• Moksha comes through samyag-darshan, samyag-jñān, and samyag-chāritra together.
• Karma bondage is increased by kaṣāya like anger, pride, deceit, and greed.
• Nirjarā happens through sincere spiritual discipline, penance, self-study, meditation, and detachment.
• So if a person chants with attachment, ego, greed, or fear, that is spiritually weak and may not help much.
• But if a person chants the Namokar Mantra with faith, humility, remembrance of the virtues of the Arihantas and Siddhas, and inner purification, then it is a means of bhāva-shuddhi, not a magical transaction.

About “mechanical chanting”

Jainism would agree that:

• mere counting of beads is not liberation,
• ritual without understanding is incomplete,
• and outward conduct without inner awareness is insufficient.

However, it does not follow that all chanting is spiritually useless. A mantra is not treated as a magical eraser. Its value lies in:

• reducing the pull of passions,
• turning the mind toward detachment,
• remembering the ideal of the liberated soul,
• and supporting right faith and right conduct.

On your point about “Karmakāṇḍa”

Jain Dharma indeed warns against becoming trapped in externalism. But it also preserves dravya practices as supports for bhāva transformation. The danger is not ritual itself; the danger is ritual without inner awakening.

On Kundakunda and inner realization

Kundakunda strongly emphasizes the pure soul, but he does not thereby reject all practice. His teaching is meant to direct the aspirant from outer attachment toward self-realization. In Jain tradition, right inner vision and right conduct are not opposed to discipline; they are deepened by it when practiced correctly.

The balanced Jain answer

So the Jain position is:

• Mechanical ritual alone is not the path.
• Pure intention alone without conduct is also incomplete.
• Right faith, right knowledge, and right conduct must work together.

If a Jain is chanting, fasting, or worshipping only out of fear, greed, or social habit, that deserves correction. If the same acts are done with samyak bhāva, they are meaningful aids on the path.

So the true Jain response is not “ritual is everything,” and not “ritual is nothing,” but:

Ritual without inner purity is hollow; ritual with right bhāva can support liberation.