The Nonviolence Conundrum: Political Peace and Personal Karma in Jain and Hindu Traditions

Debates on war and peace within Jain Hindu traditions revolve around the fear of incurring individual bad karma from violence, potentially inhibiting individual’s journey to spiritual liberation. Generally, religious culture both elevates nonviolence one highest moral principles. Jainism embraces ahiṃsā (non-harming) as central doctrine, exalt non-harming disciplines virtues (dharma). However, a personal commitment creates tension with humanistic value striving for an ethic social justice peace. Maintaining harmony sometimes requires confrontation or targeted violence. It is not surprising that while laud peace, they also deliberate challenge using necessary violence maintain orderly society. Despite sanctioning limited (hiṃsā) in acute situations, various texts myths express general suspicion other aggressive methods solve political problems.