The Metaphysical Significance of Dharma and Adharma in Jaina Metaphysics
Summary
In Jain philosophy the terms dharma and adharma have meanings quite distinct from the moral categories familiar in Brahmanical thought. This brief essay explicates their technical significance as two of the six universal substances (dravya) recognised by the Jainas. According to Jaina metaphysics, the universe comprises jīva (soul) and ajīva (non‑soul) categories, the latter subdivided into matter (pudgala), space (ākāśa), time (kāla), dharma and adharma. Here dharmastikāya is the principle that enables motion, providing the medium through which souls and atoms can move, while adharmastikāya is the principle that allows for rest or inertia. Neither has ethical connotation; rather, they function as the cosmic conditions for movement and stillness. The author outlines scriptural discussions from texts like the Tattvārtha‑sūtra and the Dravyasamgraha that describe these substances as pervasive, eternal and formless. He contrasts the Jaina view with Hindu and Buddhist interpretations of dharma as law or virtue, emphasising that misunderstanding arises when the same terms are read through different philosophical lenses. By clarifying the ontological status of dharma and adharma, the article helps delineate the unique cosmology of Jainism.
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Conclusion
The paper concludes that the Jaina concepts of dharma and adharma demonstrate the distinctiveness of Jaina metaphysics from other Indian philosophical systems. Recognising them as metaphysical categories rather than moral principles prevents conflation with ethical doctrines and highlights the sophistication of Jaina substance theory. This clarification enriches comparative studies of Indian philosophy and underscores the importance of contextual interpretation of shared terminology.