Meaning & use
Jainism
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Meanings
noununcountable
An ancient religion from India whose followers aim to live without harming any living being and believe in strict self-control.
Grammar: Used as a name, so it has no plural and usually takes no article: He follows Jainism.
Patterns
- follow Jainism
- convert to Jainism
- the teachings of Jainism
Jainism began in India and is still practiced there and in many other countries.
Her grandparents follow Jainism, so the whole family avoids eating meat.
In a class about world religions, we studied Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism.
noununcountable
The set of beliefs, practices, and way of life of the people who belong to this religion.
Grammar: Talks about the whole tradition rather than one group or one person; for a member say a Jain.
Patterns
- the principles of Jainism
- the history of Jainism
- a scholar of Jainism
The principles of Jainism include non-violence and honesty in daily life.
He wrote his thesis on the history of Jainism in western India.
Many features of Jainism, such as fasting, are also found in other Indian traditions.
Common combinations
- follow Jainism
- About two percent of the people in that state follow Jainism.
- convert to Jainism
- He decided to convert to Jainism after years of study.
- the teachings of Jainism
- The teachings of Jainism stress care for every creature, even the smallest insect.
- a follower of Jainism
- As a follower of Jainism, she avoids work that involves killing animals.
- Jainism and Buddhism
- Courses often compare Jainism and Buddhism because both began in ancient India.
Synonyms and how they differ
- Jain Dharma
- The traditional Indian name for the same religion; it appears in academic and religious writing rather than in everyday English.
Word family
- Jain noun
- A person who follows Jainism.
- Jain adjective
- Belonging to or connected with Jainism, as in a Jain temple.
- Jainist noun
- A rare, mostly academic word for a follower of Jainism.
Commonly confused: Jainism or Hinduism? Jainism or Buddhism?
Jainism vs Hinduism
Another religion that began in India, but with different gods, texts, and practices; Jainism rejects the idea of a creator god and places extreme emphasis on not harming living things.
Jainism vs Buddhism
A related Indian religion founded around the same period; both value non-violence, but Buddhism has different teachings on the soul and on the middle way.
Practice
Which sentence uses Jainism correctly?
Choose one answer.
Jainism is the uncountable name of the religion, so it fits after 'follows'. Option 1 is wrong because a person is 'a Jain', option 2 because the word has no plural, and option 4 because a building is 'a Jain temple', not 'a Jainism'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Jainism”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.