In Jain Dharma, work that minimizes harm to living beings is preferred. Examples include:

• Teaching and learning
• Writing, reading, and copying scriptures
• Accountancy, bookkeeping, and office work
• Trading in non-living or low-harm goods such as books, cloth, dry grains, or paper
• Crafts that do not involve killing or violent processes
• Meditation, prayer, and spiritual service
• Simple farming only where harm is minimized as much as possible, though even this is considered high-injury compared with other work

Generally, Jain practice encourages work that is:

• non-violent
• clean
• honest
• low in harm to subtle and gross जीवs

Examples usually avoided are:

• slaughter-related work
• fishing
• leather trade
• alcohol or intoxicants
• weapons trade
• industries involving strong violence to living beings

The main principle is to choose a livelihood that follows ahimsa as closely as possible.