Indic · macro
Jainism
No creator, no grace, no shortcut: the soul frees itself by not harming, and the discipline required is the most demanding in the matrix. Its doctrine of many-sidedness makes it simultaneously the most epistemically pluralist tradition here.
What makes it unusual
The axes on which this tradition sits furthest from the middle of the matrix — which is to say, the positions that actually distinguish it.
- C2 Shape of timecyclical returnFurther toward "cyclical return" than most traditions in the matrix.
- E2 Origin of the cosmosbeginningless or naturalFurther toward "beginningless or natural" than most traditions in the matrix.
- D3 The bodyto be disciplinedFurther toward "to be disciplined" than most traditions in the matrix.
- D1 Mechanism of the ultimate goodachieved by effort or insightFurther toward "achieved by effort or insight" than most traditions in the matrix.
All seventeen positions
Each cell carries a centre, a dispersion — how much internal variation the tradition genuinely tolerates — and the source the position rests on. Disagree with one? Say so; corrections are public and recorded.
The same seventeen values as a single shape, read clockwise from A1 at the top. The outline is where the tradition sits; the wider band around it is the variation it genuinely tolerates, so a tight outline is a tight tradition.
- position
- tolerated variation
A · The divine
| Axis | Position | Value | ±σ |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1 Divine realitynothing beyond the natural → a divine reality certainly exists | between nothing beyond the natural and a divine reality certainly existsTattvartha Sutra and the Jain Agamas | 0.55 | 0.20 |
| A2 Personhoodimpersonal principle or order → a personal being one can address | leaning impersonal principle or orderTattvartha Sutra and the Jain Agamas | 0.25 | 0.15 |
| A3 Pluralitystrictly one → many powers and spirits | between strictly one and many powers and spiritsTattvartha Sutra and the Jain Agamas | 0.48 | 0.18 |
| A4 Locuswholly beyond the world → fully present within it | leaning fully present within itTattvartha Sutra and the Jain Agamas | 0.72 | 0.14 |
B · Knowledge and authority
| Axis | Position | Value | ±σ |
|---|---|---|---|
| B1 Source of truthrevealed and fixed → reason and direct experience | between revealed and fixed and reason and direct experienceTattvartha Sutra and the Jain Agamas | 0.48 | 0.16 |
| B2 Reading of sacred textliteral and binding → metaphorical, or no text at all | leaning literal and bindingTattvartha Sutra and the Jain Agamas | 0.22 | 0.12 |
| B3 Institutional authorityclergy and tradition decide → individual conscience decides | leaning clergy and tradition decideTattvartha Sutra and the Jain Agamas | 0.22 | 0.13 |
C · Self and destiny
| Axis | Position | Value | ±σ |
|---|---|---|---|
| C1 Survival of the selfends at death → continues in some form | continues in some formTattvartha Sutra and the Jain Agamas | 0.98 | 0.02 |
| C2 Shape of timeone life, then judgment → cyclical return | cyclical returnTattvartha Sutra and the Jain Agamas | 0.92 | 0.06 |
| C3 The human conditionfallen and in need of rescue → ignorant but fundamentally sound | leaning ignorant but fundamentally soundTattvartha Sutra and the Jain Agamas | 0.78 | 0.12 |
D · Practice
| Axis | Position | Value | ±σ |
|---|---|---|---|
| D1 Mechanism of the ultimate goodgiven as grace → achieved by effort or insight | achieved by effort or insightTattvartha Sutra and the Jain Agamas | 0.98 | 0.02 |
| D2 Centrality of ritualessential and prescribed → optional or absent | leaning essential and prescribedTattvartha Sutra and the Jain Agamas | 0.35 | 0.15 |
| D3 The bodyto be disciplined → to be celebrated | to be disciplinedTattvartha Sutra and the Jain Agamas | 0.05 | 0.05 |
E · World and others
| Axis | Position | Value | ±σ |
|---|---|---|---|
| E1 Exclusivityone true path → many valid paths | leaning many valid pathsTattvartha Sutra and the Jain Agamas | 0.78 | 0.12 |
| E2 Origin of the cosmosan intentional act → beginningless or natural | beginningless or naturalTattvartha Sutra and the Jain Agamas | 0.95 | 0.04 |
| E3 Locus of belonginga people, inherited → an individual choice | between a people, inherited and an individual choiceTattvartha Sutra and the Jain Agamas | 0.42 | 0.18 |
| E4 Standing of naturecreation, given for use → animate and itself sacred | animate and itself sacredTattvartha Sutra and the Jain Agamas | 0.92 | 0.06 |
Further reading
- Umasvati, Tattvartha Sutra — The one text all Jain sects accept; nearly every cell above traces to it.
- Dundas, The Jains — Anekantavada and ahimsa in practice — the E1 and E4 values.
Compared with
The questionnaire places your own answers on these same seventeen axes and reports how close you are to this tradition and to 64 others. Take it — eight to fourteen questions, nothing transmitted.