Reform

In Jain studies, the term “reform” refers to processes of reinterpretation, renewal, or structural adjustment within Jain communities, practices, institutions, and textual engagement. Because Jainism is a tradition with more than two millennia of continuous development, reform has occurred in multiple eras—sometimes as doctrinal clarification, sometimes as community reorganization, and sometimes as ethical or ritual recalibration in response to changing social conditions.

Within Jain history, reform is not understood as overturning foundational principles such as ahiṃsā, anekāntavāda, aparigrahaDraft overviewAparigrahaAparigraha, usually translated as non-attachment or non-possession, is one of the central ethical and spiritual principles of Jainism. It appears both as a major vow (mahāvrata) for ascetics and as a minor or limited vow…, or the authority of the tīrthaṅkaras. Instead, reform typically aims to realign practice with perceived original ideals, remove accretions considered non-essential, or adapt modes of teachingDraft overviewTeachingIn Jain traditions, “teaching” (śikṣā, upadeśa, pravacana) refers to the transmission of right knowledge (samyag‑jñāna), right faith (samyag‑darśana), and right conduct (samyak‑cāritra) as articulated in the canonical an… and organization to contemporary needs. Reform movementsDraft overviewReform movementsIn Jainism, "reform movements" refers to currents within the tradition that seek to correct, purify, or re‑emphasize what is perceived as the original intent of the Jina’s teaching, rather than to introduce wholly new do… have appeared in both Digambara and Śvetāmbara traditions, including shifts in monastic discipline, temple ritual, lay conduct, educationDraft overviewEducationIn Jain traditions, “education” (śikṣā, adhyayana) encompasses scriptural study, ethical formation, disciplined inquiry, and the cultivation of right perception (samyak‑darśana), right knowledge (samyak‑jñāna), and right…, and community governanceDraft overviewCommunity governanceIn Jain traditions, community governance refers to the collective, ethically regulated structures through which lay communities (śrāvakas and śrāvikās) organize temple administration, educational institutions, charitable….

Pre-modern reforms often centered on monastic rules, manuscript preservation, and doctrinal clarification. Modern reforms (19th–21st centuries) have included debates over image worshipDraft overviewImage worshipIn Jainism, "image worship" (mūrti-pūjā, pratima-ārādhana) refers to the veneration of images of the Jinas (Tīrthaṅkaras) and associated sacred objects within temples and domestic shrines. It is one of the most visible f…, the role of laypeople in ritual leadership, ethical responses to industrialization, and the organization of global diasporaDraft overviewDiasporaIn Jain studies, the term **diaspora** refers to the movement, settlement, and cultural continuity of Jain communities outside their ancestral regions of origin, primarily in western and northern India. Jain diaspora his… communities. Across these contexts, reform is best understood as a dynamic negotiation between fidelity to canonical sources and responsiveness to lived realities.

Because Jainism lacks a centralized ecclesiastical authority, reform emerges through councilsDraft overviewCouncilsIn Jain historical studies, “councils” refers to a series of organized gatherings of monks and scholars convened to preserve, compile, or redraft the Jain scriptural corpus during periods of disruption. These councils ar…, monastic lineages, community organizations, and scholarly discourse rather than through a single binding institution. This decentralization produces diversity: some groups emphasize ritual simplification, others emphasize scriptural studyDraft overviewStudyIn Jain traditions, “study” (śruta‑adhyayana) refers to the disciplined engagement with scriptures, commentaries, and ethical teachings as a core component of right knowledge (samyag‑jñāna). Across Digambara and Śvetāmba…, and others emphasize social service or ethical activism. The study of reform therefore requires careful attention to textual evidence, sectarian history, and regional variationDraft overviewRegional variationIn Jainism, “regional variation” refers to the historically documented differences in practice, liturgy, manuscript traditions, monastic organization, and lay customs that emerged as Jain communities spread across divers….