"Souls are not only the property of animal and plant life, but also of rocks, running water and many other natural objects not looked on as living by other religious sects."
The above statement reflects one of the core beliefs of which one of the following religious sects of ancient India?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (b) Jainism
The belief that the whole world is animated, so that even stones, rocks and water possess life (jiva), is the central idea of Jainism. It is this idea that makes ahimsa, non-injury to every living thing, the heart of Jaina practice.
- ✓ (b) Jaina teaching holds that souls reside not only in humans, animals and plants but also in earth, water, fire and air bodies; hence the extreme care Jaina monks and nuns take not to harm any form of life.
- ✗ (a) Buddhism also preaches non-violence, but it does not attribute souls to rocks or water; the Buddha in fact denied a permanent soul (anatta) altogether.
- ✗ (c) Shaivism and Vaishnavism are theistic traditions of devotion to Shiva and Vishnu; they do not treat inanimate natural objects as ensouled beings.
Remember · Jainism: the entire world is animated, even stones, rocks and water have life; ahimsa towards all beings follows. Buddhism: no permanent self (anatta).
📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 12 Themes in Indian History, Part I, Ch 4 (practise this chapter)
Sources
- NCERT Class 12 · Themes in Indian History, Part I, Chapter 4 “The most important idea in Jainism is that the entire world is animated: even stones, rocks and water have life.”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2023, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·