What is the relationship between man as
individual and human society? What can man do for all the creatures of
the world? These are the questions Jaina saints have been probing deep
into for the welfare of the society on the basis of introspection and
meditation. The process of penance has led them to self-realization,
Jaina religion, primarily, was to analyze the form and the function of the
universe as a whole and as parts, the relationship between the soul and
action (Karma) and to establish the way to penance by preaching
self-control to release the soul from the bindings of the actions. With
the development of human civilization social and moral problems came on
the surface. Jaina religion had its say on moral values also with the
spiritual values as and when the necessity was felt. Jaina religion,
basically a religion of the monks, included the code of the religious and
moral life for the layman also. The saints of Jaina religion presented
the solutions for various problems of the world. in this way the basic
principles of Jaina religion may be called the roots of spiritual and
moral values.
