Mainstream Jainism
Mainstream Jainism — practised by ≈4–6 million primarily in India — is a low-CLCI reference point. Centres on ahimsa (non-violence), aparigraha (non-attachment), and individual liberation through ascetic practice.
CLCI radar
BITE breakdown
0 — voluntary tradition emphasising non-violence; low-control reference point.
Profile facts
In context
Jainism's two main monastic orders (Digambara, Svetambara) maintain ancient ascetic disciplines voluntarily undertaken. Lay Jains follow a less rigorous version emphasising ethical conduct and non-violence. There is no central authority; observance is voluntary; exit cost is essentially nil.
Key control doctrines
- Ahimsa (non-violence)
- Aparigraha (non-attachment)
- Individual liberation through ascetic practice
Recovery resources
- ICSA (International Cultic Studies Association) — General referral and cult-aware therapist directory.
- INFORM (Information Network on Religious Movements) — LSE-founded UK research-based information service covering new religious movements.
- Freedom of Mind Resource Center — Steven Hassan's organisation; BITE-model resources and family-side exit guidance.
See the full curated list at /resources.
Evidence by BITE axis
- Ahimsa (non-violence)
- Aparigraha (non-attachment)
- Individual liberation through ascetic practice
- low-control reference point
Timeline
- 6th c. BCEMahavira's teaching career
- Ancient–medievalDigambara/Svetambara split
Evidence matrix
Structured sources cross-linked to the claims they document. Tiered per the source hierarchy. For free-text citations see the Sources section below.
| Title | Type | Reliability | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jain Perceptions of Islam in the Early Modern Period — Indo-Iranian Journal (1999) | Academic | Secondary | — |
| Ethics in Early Buddhism (review) — Philosophy East and West (2000) | Academic | Secondary | — |
Sources
- Paul Dundas, 'The Jains' (2002) search ↗
- Jain Perceptions of Islam in the Early Modern Period — Indo-Iranian Journal (1999) — https://doi.org/10.1163%2F000000099124993040 open ↗
- Ethics in Early Buddhism (review) — Philosophy East and West (2000) — https://doi.org/10.1353%2Fpew.2000.0009 open ↗
We cite sources by name and outlet rather than fabricating links. Where a source includes its own URL, the open ↗ link opens it directly; otherwise search ↗ runs a Google Scholar query for the cited title — useful for verifying academic sources. For news outlets, search the outlet's own archive.
Change history
Substantive edits logged per the score-updates policy.
- 2026-05-29Phase 1 Batch J: per-group recovery resources applied via programmatic palette (closest-fit by category + subCategory + score). Palette: Mainstream-comparator lighter.
- 2026-05-20Score band scheme migrated from 4 bands to 5 (Minimal 0–5 / Low 6–12 / Moderate 13–20 / High 21–30 / Extreme 31–40). No CLCI value changed; the new Minimal band was carved out of the bottom of the previous Low band.
Key terms in this profile
Relevant hubs
Curated entry points on CLCI Hub for situations connected to this group.
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