Spirituality Studies 69 Nishit Shah Nishit Shah is an independent scholar of classical Jain philosophy based in the United States. He holds a master’s degree in Engineering Management and pursues research on Jain metaphysics, karma theory, and soteriology. His scholarly interests were shaped by the teachings of Rashtrasant Shree Namramuni Maharaj Saheb, a prominent spiritual leader in the Jain tradition. He can be reached at nishitshah786@gmail.com. orcid.org Nishit Shah Material Karma and Non-Theistic Liberation in Classical Jain Philosophy How is liberation possible without divine grace, and why does Jain philosophy assign a central role to material karma? While widely acknowledged, its philosophical function within non-theistic soteriology has received limited systematic analysis. This article argues that the material conception of karma provides the causal and ontological framework through which Jain philosophy renders moral continuity and liberation intelligible without divine agency. Situating karma theory within the dravya–guṇa–paryāya (Sa. “substancequality-mode”) ontology, the study shows how karmic materiality renders limitation intelligible as modal obstruction rather than essential alteration. The article contributes a systematic account of why karma’s materiality is philosophically necessary within Jain soteriology rather than merely a traditional feature. Received February 26, 2026 Revised March 14, 2026 Accepted March 15, 2026 Keywords Jain karma theory, nontheistic soteriology, dravyaguṇa-paryāya, Tattvārtha Sūtra, mokṣa ←← Rashtrasant Param Gurudev Shree Namaramuni Maharaj Saheb
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