In the Jain vision, self‑purification is the gradual cleansing of the soul from karmic bondage through a disciplined way of life. This process is framed by the Three Jewels: Right Faith, Right Knowledge, and Right Conduct, which together orient the practitioner toward liberation. Right Conduct is expressed through ethical vows, ascetic discipline, and mental cultivation, all of which are intended to prevent the influx of new karma and to help shed what has already been accumulated. The path is not merely external restraint but an inner refinement of intention, emotion, and awareness.

Central to this discipline are the five vows: non‑violence (ahiṃsā), truthfulness (satya), non‑stealing (asteya), chastity or celibacy (brahmacarya), and non‑attachment (aparigraha). Monks and nuns undertake these as great vows, while laypeople observe them in moderated form, yet the underlying aim is the same: to restrain harmful actions and reduce the passions that bind the soul. Non‑violence is extended to thought, word, and deed, and is expressed in strict vegetarianism and care to avoid harming even the smallest forms of life. Truthfulness, non‑stealing, sexual restraint, and limiting possessions all function as concrete ways of loosening the grip of desire and ego.

Ascetic practices (tapas) are another pillar of self‑purification, understood as a means of “burning” accumulated karma. These include various forms of fasting, eating less or at fixed times, accepting simple food, and embracing physical simplicity and solitude. Such austerities are complemented by internal disciplines like repentance, humility, selfless service, scriptural study, and detachment from the body. Through these practices, the practitioner learns to endure discomfort, weaken attachment, and cultivate a steady, inwardly focused awareness.

Mental and spiritual disciplines deepen this work of purification. Meditation and periods of equanimity (such as samayika) are used to calm the mind, contemplate the nature of the soul, and restrain anger, pride, deceit, and greed. Regular self‑reflection, prayer, and recitation of sacred texts support this inner vigilance. Practices of confession and repentance, especially pratikramaṇa, invite a careful review of one’s actions and intentions, a seeking of forgiveness from all beings, and a resolve not to repeat harmful patterns. In this way, ethical sensitivity and spiritual insight are continually sharpened.

Over time, many Jains move toward progressive renunciation, limiting possessions, occupations, and indulgences, while ascetics embrace full renunciation with strict celibacy and minimal property. Dietary disciplines such as strict vegetarianism and avoiding root vegetables, along with care in eating and drinking so as not to harm microscopic life, further express the commitment to non‑violence and purity. Through this interwoven fabric of vows, austerities, meditation, repentance, and non‑attachment, the Jain practitioner seeks to halt the flow of new karma and gradually shed the old, allowing the soul’s inherent purity to shine forth and move toward liberation.