Abu Bakr al-Razi and Jain Philosophy
By Gopal Stavig
Summary
Gopal Stavig explores parallels between the ideas of the Persian polymath Abu Bakr al‑Razi (Rhazes, 865–925) and Jain philosophy. Al‑Razi was a physician and philosopher who posited five eternal principles: God, soul, matter, space and timeimage/. He argued that perceptual experience presupposes a material substrate, that different objects require space, and that change implies timeimage/. Stavig compares these ideas with the Jaina doctrine of six substances (jīva, matter, space, time, motion and rest) and notes that both traditions distinguish between infinite absolute space and finite localized spaceimage/. Al‑Razi also described a theory of eternal atoms composed of four elements—earth, water, fire and air—and emphasised reason as a path to knowledge. The article points out that al‑Razi’s ethical views, especially his advocacy of compassion and non‑injury to living beings, resonate with Jainism’s principle of ahimsaimage/. While there is no evidence of direct influence, Stavig suggests that such similarities reveal a shared rationalist orientation and a universal concern for non‑violence. The article encourages comparative philosophical studies to highlight commonalities across cultures and to demonstrate Jainism’s global relevance.
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Conclusion
By juxtaposing al‑Razi’s metaphysics with Jaina categories and noting shared ethical emphases, Stavig argues that both traditions appreciate the multiplicity of eternal principles and value non‑violence. Though independent, their convergence illustrates the universality of certain philosophical insightsimage/.