ABSTRACT
The principle directing all other expressions of Jain ethics is that all life is bound together: Parasparopagraho Jivanam. However the archaic cosmology of Jainism is curiously in tune with today's ecological concerns and understanding of the connections between different forms of life. In the theory of karma developed by Jains, an arcane and elaborate cosmology is paired with a practical way of living, which involves working with rather than against the grain of the natural world. For non-Jains, the concept of karma can appear the most esoteric aspect of the Dharma and hence the hardest to come to terms with on an intellectual plane. Enlightenment is the gradual shedding of karma, a process that corresponds with non-violence and the dispersal of needless possessions. From a Jain perspective, re-enchantment with nature operates at the mundane level, balanced by the idea of karma and eventual freedom from the limits imposed by nature.
