Jainism

Abstract

The Encyclopedia entry highlights the recent transformation of Jainism from an universalist ideology (idea-logy) of world-renunciation into an ideology for world-transformation. These widespread changes in the Jaina tradition are not unprecedented. They echoe the global movement of 1Creligious modernism 1D, a nineteenth century theological response to the ideas of the European enlightenment, which westernised elites in South Asia embraced as well under the influence of colonialism, global industrial capitalism and modern science and technology. In the discourse of 1CJain modernism 1D, 1CJainism 1D is framed not only as a 1Creligion 1D, in the sense of the new Religionswissenschaft, but as a 1Cworld religion 1D, both by academics, colonial administrators and by western educated Jain community leaders, promoting the reformist agenda that now dominates Jain culture, especially in the global Jain Diaspora. Key aspects of these new developments are reviewed under six headings: (1) Early history, (2) Colonialism & revivalism, (3) Migration & world wide mission, (4) Innovative religious ideas and practices, (5) Social and political activism, (6) Global organizations.