Abstract

Broadly speaking, the idea of human rights is in itself not new; its birth lay in the birth of man, and the concept is as old as human civilisation. However, it was World War II that put the spotlight on the necessity for formal recognition of these rights in the modern world, leading to the conception, adoption and proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 by the United Nations, possibly the most well-known concretisation of the concept of human rights in recent times. This paper is an earnest attempt to identify the similarities between the provisions of the Universal Declaration, provision in Indian Constitution related to human rights philosophy and Jainism. The principles of Jainism give sanction to some of the most important rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration; these principles being protected by the safeguards of the state in modern times, are invaluable in their ability to act as guiding lights for the provisions they sanction. The principles of Jainism are implicit moral codes for a good society, and if practiced sincerely, can guarantee the kind of international understanding and world peace which is really needed to enjoy basic human rights.