ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book aims to offer a glimpse into the way Jains think and carry their thoughts into practice. It addresses the question of how –or even whether –the Jain worldview can contribute to the wider global development of environmental philosophy and its practical expressions. The book explores the concept of karma in greater depth and discusses the relationship between the Jains' idiosyncratic interpretation of karma and the practice of Ahimsa. It explores some of the ways in which businesses form the basis for a longstanding tradition of philanthropy and charitable giving. The book provides a concluding summary of why the Jain version of environmental philosophy should be of far wider interest and why the case study of Jain communities is relevant to current debates within environmentalism.
