Jain teachers have elaborated on sixty variants of the pan-Indian principle of ahiṃsā (non-violence) in their canonical texts. While physical non-violence—especially the avoidance of harm to any sentient being—is widely recognized both within and beyond the Jain tradition, other dimensions of ahiṃsā focus on fostering compassionate treatment toward not only one’s self but also to fellow humans. This course draws from the Śrāvaka Saṃbodha, a handbook on lay practices compiled by Ācārya Tulasī (1914–1997). This text outlines the qualities (guṇas) of lay disciples and provides practical, didactic guidance on religious conduct, encapsulating the ‘Jain way of life.’ Through these teachings, students will explore how responsible householders can contribute to a compassionate and harmonious society by integrating Jain ethical principles into everyday life. Course readings will be made available as links and PDFs throughout the duration of the course.

Learning Objectives:

• Examine the Śrāvaka Saṃbodha, a poetic text written in the vernacular (Hindi) and assess its contemporary relevance to ethical and compassionate living.
• Understand the multifaceted meanings of compassion within Jain thought and analyze how it transcends conventional notions of kindness and non-violence.
• Evaluate, using interdisciplinary approaches from social sciences (such as history and linguistics), the various methods Ācārya Tulasī employs in constructing and communicating the qualities of householders in Jainism

Course Details

Learning Area

Social Justice

Instructor

Shivani Bothra

Shivani Bothra is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at California State University, Long Beach. Before this, she worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Rice University in Houston, USA, and taught as a lecturer in Religious Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She earned her doctorate from the Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand. Her focus is South Asian traditions, Jainism, and Nonviolence. Shivani's primary research areas are transnational Jainism, emphasizing Contemporary Jains.