Between Entanglement and Enlightenment: Rethinking Compassion in Jain and Buddhist Thought

This presentation explores the ethical emphasis on compassion (karuṇā, dayā) in Jain and Buddhist traditions, particularly in relation to the Jain tenet of non-harming (ahiṃsā) and the Buddhist principle of loving-kindness (mettā). In Jainism, ahiṃsā and compassion are inseparable, functioning not only as social ethics but as rigorous ascetic disciplines encompassing thought, speech, and action. While orthodox Jain doctrine views compassion as karmically entangling, it also signals right insight (samyag-darśana), inspiring one to assist others. In Buddhism, the bodhisattva ideal likewise grounds compassion in a transformative orientation toward others’ suffering. This paper argues that in both traditions, compassion is not merely an emotional response, but a disciplined form of ethical self-cultivation rooted in detachment and the pursuit of a higher mode of being. Through vows, meditation, and philosophical reflection, Jain and Buddhist thinkers usually framed compassion as a transformative practice linking inner development with ethical engagement in the world.