Impact on social life:
- (i) Like Buddhism it did not try to abolish the existing social differences. However, both strongly refuted the importance of caste for the attainment of Nirvana. Like Buddhism, Jainism also emerged as a protest against Brahminic supremacy and caste system. In course of time, however, like Buddhism the Jainism also got trapped into caste system. Jainism adopted a liberal attitude towards lower castes. The first female deciple of Mahaveera is said to have been a captured slave woman.
- (ii) Jainism like Buddhism did not debar the lower castes from acquiring knowledge. Jain monks like the Buddhist monks accepted food from lower class families including those of weavers. Like Buddhism, Jainism also adopted favourable attitude towards traders and merchant class also. The reasons advanced in this context are similar to those given by Buddhism. Like Buddhism, Jainism tried to improve the position of slaves. Apastamba forbids trade in human beings only for Braiimins. The new religions prohibited it even for the lay followers.
- (iii) The Digha “Nikahaya advises masters to treat their slaves decently. Likewise Jainism also advises the employees to treat their slaves in the most humane way.
Impact on economic life :
- (i) Jainism, like Buddhism, favoured agriculture. It prevented animal scarifies enabling the agriculturists to have adequate number of cattle for agricultural purposes and for dairy activity. However, it remained unpopular with the agriculturists because its emphasised on non-violence stood against the agriculturists whose profession necessarily involved killing of organism for like insects and pests.
- (ii) Jainism was unacceptable to artisans and craftsmen. The principle of Ahimsa became unacceptable to artisans and craftsmen because, their occupations endangered the plant life and the life of other creatures.
- (iii) Jainism imposed limitations on private property. The strict Jaina limitation of private property was interpreted as a ban on the possession of property in land owning. The followers of Jainism thereby specialised in trade and financial transactions. This explains why Jains came to be increasingly associated with the spread of urban culture and maritime trade. India’s western coast facilitated foreign trade and therefore it is not without reason that the population in this area is predominantly Jain even today.
Impact on political and aspects of life of Hindus :
Matter is the same as that pertain my to Buddhism Modern position: There are a few important points dealing with the modern position of Jains. They are not socio-culturally distinct from Hindus, although they are a distinct religious community both in terms of doctrines and rituals Jains, although small in size, are divided both on sectarian and caste basis, hence do not function as a unified religious group Jainism is no longer a proselytising (missionary) faith but is socially insulate Jains do not identify themselves with any specific territory or language and are not concentrated in any state.
The central value of Jains is Ahimsa. And jains, for this reason, initiate, sponsor and finance many charitable institutions. This invests them with considerable respectability. Finally their territorial dispersal and tiny size do not provide them.