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60: śramana, Vol 64, No. III, July-Sept. 2013
I do not take into consideration much of the development of both traditions nor of their specific faces in so-called sects and splinter groups. The image in my mind is something like 'classical Jainism and classical' Quakerism, something in the middle of time and opinion varies.
The basics of Jainism The foundations of today's Jainism were laid down by an Indian ascetic Vardhamāna (599-527 BCE.) who is better known as Mahāvīra (the Great Hero) or Jina (the Conqueror). He is said to have rejected the advantages of his noble family and similarly to some other people of his revolutionary era to have sought a new way as to how to attain mokṣa, i. e. salvation from the endless cycle of births and deaths (saṁsāra) caused by the effects of past activities (i. e. by karma). He found this way after some twenty years of meditation and severe asceticism and in this way, he became a victor (Jina) over karma, the principle of cause and effect to which all living beings have to succumb. For his followers, Mahāvīra is a tirthankara (ford-maker) who revealed the path of salvation to humankind. As Mahāvīra apparently followed and renewed older religious traditions, he is regarded 24h in the tradition of tirtharkaras which has begun at the very dawn of our civilization some 15 000 BCE. These tīrtharkaras are not worshipped as transcendent beings but honored as outstanding human examples able to inspire the Jains in their own fight for better future births and finally attaining mokṣa.
Although the Jains suppose the existence of gods and other transcendent beings, they are primarily concerned with jīvas, eternal souls, trapped in non-living matter and therefore condemned to the cycle of reincarnation. Of all living beings (including gods) only humans are able to liberate jīvas from their karmic bondage. Liberation is achieved by penance and renunciation that eliminate the effects of previous karma. The other condition of liberating the jīva is the detachment from all matter, which is necessary to stop the influx of new karma.
As liberation of jīva requires observing strict rules that do not allow obtaining one's own sustenance and leading a family life, the community of Jains (sangha) consists of two types of aspirants: monks and householders. The former are striving for final liberation and are fully dependent on support of the latters who are bound by a much easier set of rules and -in turnspiritually nourished by monks when preparing themselves the best conditions for their future birth. One of these rules -and probably the most important one -is ahimsā, the attitude of avoiding any kind of hurting of any living being. The Early Quakerism The Quakers, often called Friends, have come out of social and religious turmoil of 17th century England. During the bitter fight against the state-supported Anglican Church, Puritans (the church reformers of that time) experienced deep disappointment having found a gap between professed Christian faith of many publicly engaged persons and their morals and religious practice. Some of them were attracted by the idea that there is an Inner Light dwelling in each human being. According to this idea, it is this Christ Within who should be considered the authority for human faith and conduct more than the Church or the Bible.
