The Reframing of Yoga as Conduct by Jain Intellectuals

This paper examines the evolving concept of yoga in Jain thought. Early Jain sources define yoga as the activity or vibrations of the soul, with Umāsvāti's Tattvārthasūtra describing it as “bodily, verbal, and mental action” (TS 6.1Ś). In this framework, yoga is tied to karmic bondage, while viyoga signifies liberation. Over time, under Upaniṣadic influence, yoga became associated with ethical restraint, prayer, and meditation. Some medieval Jain thinkers, such as Haribhadra, Śubhacandra, and Hemacandra, redefined yoga within distinctively Jain practices. Haribhadra defines yoga in the Yogabindu as all spiritual and religious activities leading to emancipation, a perspective later systematized slightly different by Yaśovijaya (1624–1688), whose contributions remain understudied. In modern times, yoga has continued evolving, reflecting diverse interpretations across historical contexts. This paper reviews contemporary scholarship that has only recently begun exploring these developments, offering new insights into the transformation of yoga in Jainism and its broader historical trajectories.