All souls are equal and alike and have the similar nature and

In the radiant words of Mahavira, the great teacher of the Jain tradition, there shines a truth eternal: “All souls are equal and alike and have the similar nature and qualities.” This is not a passing thought but a declaration of cosmic law. It pierces the illusions that divide men—of wealth and poverty, of birth and status, of strength and weakness—and reveals that beneath the garments of flesh, every being carries the same flame. It is a call to humility, a reminder that the beggar and the king, the saint and the sinner, the man and the beast, are all expressions of one essence.

To speak of all souls as equal is to rise above the temporary distinctions of this world. Bodies differ, languages differ, customs differ, but these are only the outer layers, the veils of existence. The soul is untouched by such coverings. Its nature is eternal, radiant, full of knowledge and bliss. When Mahavira speaks, he tears away the falsehoods of caste, privilege, and prejudice, proclaiming that no being is lesser than another in its core reality. This truth, if fully grasped, would dissolve hatred, oppression, and cruelty at their roots.

The teaching also affirms the qualities that all souls share: consciousness, the capacity for joy, and the longing for liberation. It is not that some are born noble and others vile; rather, each soul is like a jewel, clouded by karma and ignorance, yet capable of shining with equal brilliance once cleansed. This was Mahavira’s great insight—that inequality is not real, but the result of delusion. To awaken is to see all beings as companions on the same path, stumbling at different places, yet all destined for the same light.

History gives us profound examples of this truth in action. Consider Ashoka the Great, the Mauryan emperor, who after his bloody conquest of Kalinga realized that every life he had extinguished was equal to his own. In remorse, he turned to the path of dharma, renouncing cruelty and embracing compassion. His pillars and edicts still stand, carved with words of tolerance and reverence for all beings, echoing Mahavira’s teaching. Through Ashoka, we see how the recognition of the equality of souls can transform even the hand of an emperor from destruction to guardianship.

In this truth lies both challenge and hope. For if all souls are equal, then every act of cruelty is not merely a harm to another, but a desecration of one’s own essence. To enslave, to mock, to kill, is to deny the shared reality of the soul and to plunge deeper into ignorance. But to love, to serve, to forgive, is to affirm that reality and draw nearer to liberation. The doctrine is not abstract; it is the foundation of right living, for it demands reverence toward every being, even those whom the world despises.

The lesson for us is clear: cultivate the vision of equality in daily life. See the servant as a soul, not a tool; the stranger as a soul, not a threat; the enemy as a soul, not a demon. Speak to others with respect, for in doing so you honor the divine within them. Act with compassion, for their suffering is not separate from your own. And above all, remember that your greatness does not lie in rising above others, but in realizing your oneness with them.

In practice, this means treating every encounter as sacred. When you greet another, imagine you greet the eternal soul. When you harm none—neither by word, thought, nor deed—you walk in the spirit of Mahavira. When you strive to lift another’s burden, you honor not only them, but the very truth of your own being. Equality is not a doctrine to recite, but a path to live, step by step, heart by heart.

Thus, Mahavira’s words resound through the ages: “All souls are equal and alike and have the similar nature and qualities.” Let them awaken in us a new way of seeing, where no one is stranger, no one is low, no one is unworthy. Let them teach us to act as guardians of all life, building a world not upon division, but upon the eternal unity of the soul. For in that unity lies the hope of peace, the triumph of compassion, and the promise of liberation.