Founder’s Statement

The Jain founders preached a doctrine of radical renunciation from the world that emphasized not only abstinence but also the intrinsic value of all life, from the life of the very smallest creatures that we cannot even see to our own lives. For ordinary men and women, they stressed the importance of living by strict ethical rules that encompass everything we do, from raising our families to conducting business. The Jains practice nonviolence in all aspects of their lives and can serve as a model for us in an increasingly violent world.

As with all Indian religious traditions, salvation comes for the Jains through personal activity alone. They hold that all beings transmigrate through countless lifetimes, ignorantly chasing selfish and therefore, violent pursuits. Only those who have mastered the Jain path perceive reality as it is, while others stumble in semidarkness.

Jain art presents profoundly moving images of the religion’s founders, the liberated beings who taught the Jain doctrine, and as we look on them, we are reminded of the Jain teachings. Jains also created fabulous cosmological diagrams that function as meditative guides for seekers. Beguiling in their complexity and beauty, these cosmographs can be the starting point for a contemplation of the Jain understanding of the nature of existence and the importance of nonviolence and spiritual development.

The Jains have given the world a corpus of tremendously beautiful art, which I have loved since I began collecting many years ago. I am pleased that Phyllis Granoff, a brilliant scholar and dear friend, agreed to curate an exhibition on Jain art and put together this terrific catalog. The Jains continue to teach that right conduct includes giving away part of one’s wealth, in good times as well as bad. We might all aspire to learn something from them as we contemplate their art.

Donald Rubin New York City