Jiva Relatedness and Relationships

Author(s): Nina Mehta
Publisher: Nina Mehta
Catalog link: https://jainqq.org/explore/250394/1

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Jiva RelatednessandRelationships:FormsofBecoming NinaMehta - author NinaMehtalivesin New York,buttravelstootherplacesdoingsocialscienceandethnographicresearch. Sheplaysmusic, formerlyinringsandfirstnation, on AnimalCollective's Paw Trackslabel,andnowanewp rojectcalledearthbones. Sheisalsocurrentlymakingadocumentary,tellingdifferentJainstories, interrelatedversions, practices andexperiencesofandwith Jainism. Nunstravelingbetween London, Texas, Floridaandpilgrimagesin Rajasthan,anexmonklivingin New York,ananimalhospitalin Delhi,vegananimalactivistsin Bangalore,acooperativedair yfarmin Tanzania, templesinsuburbanNew Jerseyhomes,aresomeofthesitesandcharactersexplored. Jain MeditationInternational Centerin New York In Jainphilosophy,soulsattachtobodies, flexibleinsizeandscope,sothatthesamesoulcanfitinsideahurricanean dtheuprootedtreethatlaysinitswake;soulsmovethrough,andsometimesfrom theformsofawhale,anant, ahuma naraindrop. Thesesoulschange,andthebodieschange,buttheyallexist, always. Theuniverseandeverythinginitiseternal. AccordingtoJainscriptures, elaboratedby Mahavira, the 24"handlastTirthankar[1].thereare8.4millionkindsoflivi ngbeings, orjivas[2]. Considering Jaincosmologiesandthekarmicconnectionbetweenlivingbeingsmaychangethewaysthatwethink aboutandrelatetosubjects, objects, things, livingtogether. Through Jainperspectivesonlifecycles, wemaycometodifferentformsofknowingandbeingrelatedtoothers,con nectedthroughsoultransmigrationandkarma. Thisconceptdoesn'tfollowalineartrajectoryfromatomstoanimalsinanevolutionarywayitisinteractionsthatmovebeingsthroughtimeandlifecycles. Jainformermonkandspiritualleader GurudevShreeChitrabhanu's Jainmeditationcenterin New York, provideso newaytoseeapracticeofthisphilosophy,andtheemergenceofaJainmoralself inrelationtolivingintheworld, toget her. Jain MeditationInternationalCenter Chitrabhanuspentthefirstfiveyearsofhismonasticlifewalkingthroughwoods, mountainsandvillagesinsilence,f astingandmeditatingundertheguidanceofaJain Acharya,ormonkinstructor. In 1970, after28yearsasamonk, heacceptedaninvitationtothe Second SpiritualSummitConferencein Geneva,b ecomingthefirst Jainmastertoleavelndia. Choosingtotravelbyothermeansthanhisfeet,Chitrabhanurenouncedhisvows,andmarriedlongtimestudent, Pramoda. WhenlaskwhyhedecidedtoleaveIndia, hetellsme"Globalproblemsarecreatedbyglobalpeople. "So, hetranspor tedhismessageofnonviolenceandrespectforallformsoflifetoaglobalaudience,openingthe JainInternational Meditation CenterinNew Yorkin 1974, andavirtualcenterontheweb. Chitrabhanuhaswrittenover25books, andisaspiritualguideto Jaincentersthroughoutthe USandin England, Afric a, Japan, Singapore, DubaiandIndia. Chitrabhanuhopestobeanexampleofawareness,nonviolence,"rightvision, "toinspirepeaceandrespectforalllivingbeings. AfterawinterinIndia, Chitrabhanuisbackin New Yorkathis Jain Meditation Center, whichexistsintheformofWedn

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esdayeveningmeetingsinacarpetedauditoriumonthe 17th floorofanofficebuildinginChelsea,offeredbytheIndia nculturalorganizationBharatiya VidyaBhavan. Therearearound30peoplewhocometotheweeklylecture,mostlywhite,mostly Western,manywhohavebeenco mingfor30years. Peoplegreeteachother tellstoriesofhowtheyfirstbecameinterestedinChitrabhanuji'slectures, theyspeakofoth erswhoarenotattendingbecausetheyareabroad,orhaverecentlydied. Itisclearthattheattendeeshaveseparatelives, lifestyles, buttheyareaclosecommunity. When Chitrabhanuwalksintotheroom, thestudents,or"friends"ashecallsus,greetwith Namaste. Pramoda, Chitrabhanu'swife,leadsinthesingingofamantra, Mangalam asChitrabhanuexplains, "Thisisblessin gsfrominside.Blessingsarehuman being." Afterthesinging, andabriefmeditationonpeace, happinessandpresentness, Chitrabhanutellsastoryaboutanea gleshotbyahunter. Theeagleisholdingheregg, whichfallsdown, amongsomechickeneggs,"bornasaneagle, dieasachicken."Thiski ndofmistakenidentitymoralitystorymaybecommonwhatisparticulartoChitrabhanu'slecture,istheemphasisonreachingone'spotential, notinspiteof,butbecausewe don'tknowourpasts,ourkarma. Heemphasizesthedisconnection betweenone'snameandone'sbeing, andtheimportanceofreconnectingtoone sself, throughbreath,meditation, reprogrammingoneselfasanindividual inrelationtoothers. ThisJainethicistiedverycloselytoaction. In Sanskrit, karmameansaction. In Jainism,karmaistheresultofsubtlemicroscopicelementscalledpudgala. Thisiswhatandhowbeingsexperiencelife,untilemotionalattachment, asmatter,fallsaway. InJainphilosophy,cyclesofdeathandrebirtharetheeffectofkarma, conceivedofaskarmicbondage. Soulstransmigrateinsearchofconditionsthatwillbringaboutnon-attachment, enlightenment, moksa. Karmaisoftenseenasatemplate,orareceptacleofpastdeedsfromwhichthepresentisconstructed, andthefuture charted. Carryingbeingsfromonebirthtothenext, throughthesoul'srecordingoftracesofkarma, livingthingsexperienceth eeffectofactionsmanifestedthrough differentlifecycles, asincarnations. Being With Withlecturesthattraversespace,place,andtime,referencingcontemporarytruckdriversin Floridaandindigenou sanimistritualinAfrica,Chitrabhanuemphasizesconnectionandtranslationacrosstraditions. Chitrabhanumakesclearthewaysthatdifferentpeopleandpracticesfitwithin, andextendJainconceptions,andco nceptionsofJainthoughtintheworld. Differentpracticesandthoughtsinteractandrelate, rendering differentexperiencesofJainism, differentiterations of Jainism,anddifferentexperiencesofandwithinothertraditions. Thisisnotuniqueto Chitrabhanu'sphilosophymyfather,whogrewupina Jainhouseholdin BombayisquicktotellmethatanyonecanbeJain, pointingtothewaysth atGandhi,Jesus,andmyJewishgrandfatherallpracticedversionsof Jainism. Referencingothertraditionsdoesn'tclaimthemas Jain, butpointstothewaysthattheymayrelateto,orwith Jainphil osophy. In The AnimalThat ThereforelAm, Jacques Derridadiscussesbeingintheworld together withlivingbeings.[3]. Hecriticizesthesimplificationofanimallifethattakesplaceasaresultofthedistinction betweenmanasathinkingani malandeveryotherlivingspecies. "Theanimalistherebeforeme, therenexttome, thereinfrontofme Iwhoam(following)afterit. Andalso, therefore,sinceitisbeforeme,itisbehindme. Itsurroundsme"(Derrida, 11). Derridaaddressesthecomplicatedinterconnection,pluralism, differenceandmultiplicityofbeings, offeringaterm "animot,"asapseudo-remedytotheviolencethatlabelinglivingbeingsas'animal"commits. ForDerridathiskindofgeneralizationis"acrime,"androbslivingbeingsoftheirdensity, theirindividualityandtheirsp ecificity. InJainphilosophy,weare beingwithandinrelationtodifferentlifeforms,inmany differentways, throughandwithins pecificlifecycles. lan Hackingtalksabouthavingsympathy with ratherthanforanimalsin"OnSympathy:With OtherCreatures, "insis tingthatwelookattheanimalwith"awholegamutofemotions, "asawhole. [4]Whatdoesitmeantohavesympathywithanimalswhentherearesomanykindsoflivingbeings, whosesoulsmov

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efrom, betweenandamongsteachother? Jain Taxonomies Questionsastootherlivingbeingsbeing,canbeexploredthroughJainclassificationsandconceptionsofsenses. Jiva sarecategorizedwithin Jainismanddividedonthebasisofsensoryorgansandvitalities, orlifeforceexistingins uchbeings, formingahierarchybasedonconceptionsofthesenses. InJainthought, sensesproduceone'sbeingintheworld, somethinglike EstonianBiologistandPhilosopherJakoby onUexkull'sperceptionbasedumwelt,describedin "A StrollThroughthe WorldofAnimalsand Men:APicture BookoflnvisibleWorlds."[5]E achbeingoccupiesadifferentsphereofconsciousness,sentience,subjectivereality, basedonsenseperception. Thisistruein Jainthought, butthecategoriescreatedthroughsenserecognition, participation, inclusionandexclus ioninteractinmorecomplicated, entangledways, consideringthefactthatsoulsmovebetween differentlysensecapablebeings. Jivasfitintotwomaincategories,withmultiplesubcategories:immobile,single-sensedandmobile,multi-sensed. Immobile,single-sensedbeingsarethoughttohavethesenseoftouch. Theseareearthbodied,likesand, andmetal;waterbodied,likerainandfog;firebodied,likelighteningandflames;ai rbodied, likewind, tornadoes;plantbodied, likeplants, treesandrootswhichcanalsobemulti-sensed. Besidesharmingthebeingsthatmayattachthemselvestorootsinthedirt,thismultisensenessisthereasonwhyJainsdonoteatpotatoes,beets,nottomentioncrickets, fish,andpig, whicharealsoco nsideredmobileandmulti-sensed, andarefurthercategorizedintermsoftheiradditionalsenses. Two-sensedbeingslikeshells, wormsandmicrobeshavethefacultiesoftouchandtaste. Threesensedbeings, likelice,ants,moths,arecapableoftouch, tasteandsmell. Bees, scorpionsandfliesareconsideredfour-sensedbeings, andtheyalsohavethesenseofsight. Fivesensedbeingslikefish,birds, mammalshaveafifthsenseofhearing. Fivesensedbeingsmaybeinfernal,inoneofthehells, non-human,celestial, inoneoftheheavens,orhuman. Within Jainphilosophy, the higherthenumberofsensesabeinghas, the moreitscapacitytofeelpain. Thus, violencetobeingswithfivesenseslikehumansorcatsattractsmorekarmathanviolencetobeingslikeinsects orsinglesensedbeingslikemicrobesandplants. In Jainism,oneavoidsbehaviorsthatcauseharm, tothebestofone'sabilities, becausetheseactionsinhibitone'sab ilitytoreachmoksa. The JainprincipleofAhimsa,ornon-violenceandnoninjuryisimportantforanunderstandingofkarma, Jainethicsandrelationshipsbetweenlivingbeings. AhimsaiscentraltoJainphilosophyandethicalspiritualpracticeemphasizingcareandpreventionfromknowingly,orunknowinglybeingthecauseofinjuryorhar mtoanylivingbeing, includinghumans, animals, insects, plants, single-celledorganisms, atoms. Thisaccountsforthatpopularimageof Jainmonkssweepingbeforetheywalktheremaynotbeanyanimalsintheirpath,buttheyusetheirenergytowardsharmreduction. Thisdoesnotmeansimplyabstainingfromharmfulpractices, butbeingattentivetothewaysthatone'sactionsmayp rovokeotherstocauseharm, violenceorinjuryaswell. Myfather,drawingonhis Jainroots, iswaryoforgandonation, fearfulthathisgiftcouldcauseanotherpersontoharm anotherlivingbeing. Ifingivinghiseyes, thedonorrecipientdecidestohunt,consciouslyengaginginviolencewiththisnewvision, itwould thenimpacthiskarma. Wecanseethemanyentanglementsthatensuefrom Ahimsa. Jainphilosophyattendstotherelationshipbetweenactions,causeandeffectasmanifestedin, orthroughasubject' sbeingorbecoming. Causingharm,orkillinglivingbeingsdoesnotonlycausesufferingtootherbeings, butcausesharmandinjurytoone sownsoul, affectingone'sposition, incarnation withinlifecycles,andone'sabilitytoattainmoksa,liberation, enlight enment. Mahaviraexpressesthis directly:"Onewhoneglectsordisregardstheexistenceofearth, water, fire, air,vegetation andotherlivingbeingsdisregardshisownexistencewhichisentwinedwiththem."Interactionswithlivingbeingsare centralto Jainpracticeandtheory,andarewhataffectsone'ssoulmovement.

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Relating Besides Ahimsaornonviolence, Anekantavada, theprincipleofmultipleviewpoints, isapracticethathelpsdecreasetheharmthatonedoe stotheinterrelatedsoulsofoneselfandothers. Thispluralisticnotionpositsthattruthandrealityareperceiveddifferentlyfromdiversepoints ofview,andthatnosin glepointofviewisthecompletetruth.[6]Humans, likealllivingbeings, arecapableofpartialknowledgeonly. VonUexkull'sumweltrelatesinparttothis Jainphilosophyattendingtoamultiplicityofviewpoints. VonUexkullseesbeingsasoccupyingtheirownenvironments, perceivedandinhabitedthroughsenses. Spaceandtimearerelativetobeings' perceptionandexperiences. In Jainphilosophy,since allunenlightenedbeingsonlyperceiveandexperiencepartialtruths, therearecertainlym ultipleworlds,andweexistintheminparticular,subjectiveandsituationalways comingintobeingassubjectsinrela tiontoourexperiences, relationships, practices. Anekantavadashowshowtherearemanyworldsthatareexpressedandexperienceddifferently, takingseriouslyt herealityofeachorganism'sdifferentperception, asreality,equaltoone'sown, eachaspartialtruths. Thesetwophilosophiesrecognizetheexistenceofmultiplerealities, butunlikevonUexkullwhowouldmostlikelythi nkitimpossibletounderstandtheumweltofanotherbeing, especiallyonewithadifferentsensecapacities, Anekant avadaadvisesthatoneshouldtrytounderstandthepositionsofothers, tothebestofone'sability,evenifoneislimited bycategoriesofsenseperception. Thismaybeexplainedthroughsoultransmigrationandthepotentialthatonemayonedaybecome,orhasalreadyb eeninthesense-worldofanotherjiva,with differentsense-perceptions, andanotherbeing. Metamorphoses Besidesrelatingthroughjivacategoryplacement therockandtreearebothsinglesensed, andmayshareamoresimilarumweltrelationshipstakeon,orshapedifferentmeaningsthroughchange, transformation, ormetamorphosis. In Jainphilosophy,energyanditsmanifestationinindividualsoulsexistseternally,itistheformsandrelationsthatsh ChitrabhanuspokeattheWednesdaymeditationsessionaboutenergyinthisway, "Energycannotbedestroyed. Youcannotincrease. Youcannotdecrease. Ittransformsfromonetoanother. Itchanges, butenergyisenergy."Actionandinteractionmovebeingsandrelations. Youcanlookatkarmicdirt,orpudgalaasforgingthetransformationandmovementof,andbetweenlifeforms,movin gus, them, those throughspecificvectors, andpathways. In Jainism,weareallalwaystransformingthroughinteraction, metamorphosingaccordingtokarmicaccumulation Animal Welfare ConsciousnessofkarmicaccumulationaffectsthelifechoicesandactionsofmanyJains. It'seasytoseehowallianceswithtransnationalenvironmental,animalrightsandveganorvegetarianforumsarefor ged. EspeciallyindiasporicJaincommunities, andespeciallyamongyouth, Jainsareincreasinglyfindingrelevancean dbroaderapplicationforpracticesofnon-violenceandcompassion. Miredbyagenealogyconnectedtopityandcondescension, animalwelfaretakesonadifferentmeaningina Jainco ntext. ForJains,crueltytoothers, toanimals, oranylivingbeingisequallycrueltotheself. Thiscomplicatesthepaternalismofacare-formodel, asthereislessdistinctionandseparationbetweenlives. Sinceactionstowardsothers'livesaffectsone'sownlife, alllivesareworthprotecting,tothebestofone'sabilities. Connectionandcareextendstoalllifeforms, smallandbig. Thisethicissimilarlyinclusiveofotherbeings. Eachsoulwithinitsgivenformshould, tothebestofitsability.protectorcausetheleastharmpossibletoothers. ThisJainethicofnon-harm, however, doesnotfittraditionallywithethicsofactivism. Asanideal, OrthodoxJainethicsseekstotranscendthisworld, notworkwithinit. However, theidealdoesmanifestitselfinactionsandpracticesofactivism, advocacyandtransnationalalliances. Jainismaspracticedischanging constantlyconstitutedthroughactions, andinteractions.

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ChitrabhanuandPramoda, Chitrabhanu'swife, encourageglobalanimalandenvironmental rightsties, encouragi ngcompassionateactionasawaytodirectone'sownenergy. Pramoda,inparticularworkswithinactivismnetworks, espousingasenseoflivingandbeingintheworldthat,asam ultiplypracticedandexperiencedreligionandphilosophy,isJain. Pramodastudies Sanskrit,vegannutrition, andmusic, leadingthemeditationgroupmantras. HermaininterestisapplyingJainteachingstodailylife. Alistofherpublicandactivistengagementdoesn'tquite explainthescopeofhercareforothers,orwhatthisgenerate s,buttomentionsomeofherwork:sheispresidentoftheJain InternationalMeditation Centerin Mumbai,andsince2 000hasbeenontheBoard of DirectorsforPETAinIndia. SheworksfortheReverenceforLifeSocietyandBeautyWithout Cruelty, whichpromotesanimalwelfare. Shetellsmethatshesponsorsprojectsineducationandisparticularlyfocusedonwomen'sissues, encouragingwo mento"emergefromthesmallselfandseetheirpotential. "Shealsogives classesinmeditationandJain Dharma,ex posingWesternstudentstotheidealsandconceptsof Jainteachings. Articulatedinanemail, Pramodaexplains:"actively practicingahinsaandhelpingtheanimalsiswhatMahavirtaug htandhereourtruecompassionismanifested. Non interferenceisappliedforthosewhohaverenouncedtheworld. Soaccordingtomeitisbettertoconnectwiththeanimals. Butbeingawarethatindoingsowedonotuseanymeansthatinvolvesviolence. Likefood."Inherarticleaboutthedairyindustry, "Milk:AtWhatCost? "shetellsconsumersthat"thecapabilityiswithi n,toprotestabusethroughconsumerbehavior, thuschangingthewaythatcowsaretreated."ForPramoda,andma nywhoconsiderthemselvesJain, knowledgeofthetreatmentofotherlivingbeingscanhelpform Jainethicalrelatio nships, andethicalbeing. Intimacies:OntologicalConnections Thebeliefthateverysoulstrappedinandbyworldlybondageinspirescompassionandnonviolence,forthesakeofthesoulsofothersandforone'sownsoul,eachstuckincyclesofbirthandrebirth, untilliberati on. InJainthought, allliving beingsareco creatorsoftheworld, entangledineachothers'being, andprocessesofbecoming. Thiskindofinter beingconnectionblursthelinesbetweenselfandother,openingspacesfordifferentkindsofintimacies, connection sshiftingrelationsawayfromahumancenter. [7]Thisconceptiondoesnotpropagateoneness, ratherassemblagesthatareactiveandparticipatory. InBestiality,philosopherAlphonsolingistalksaboutbeingsascomposites, formedofsymbioticcooperativeunits. Within Jaincosmology, thereisafundamentalconnectivityandcollectivity, anontologicalblurringcomprisedofdiff erentdeepaffinities, mediatedbyaction. Lingisasks, "howdoseaanemones, blindwithoutsenseorgans, knowitistimetomove?" Itisthroughsymbiosis,livin gwithothersthatwemove,feel, know(Lingis,25). ForLingis, multiplyinteractingorganismscompose,connectandcompriseus: "Ourmovementsarenotspontaneo usinitiativeslaunchedagainstmassesofinertia;wemoveinanenvironmentofaircurrants, rustlingtrees, andintima tebodies. Ourmovementsarestirredbythecoursingofourblood, thepulseofthewind, thereedyrhythmsofthecicadasinthea utumntrees, thewhirofpassingcars, theboundingofsquirrels, andthetense, poised pauseofdeer. Thespeeds, slowness, andturnsofourmovements comefrommovementswemeetaboutus" (Lingis,29). InJainphilosophy,wealsoexistonlyinrelationtoothers,movingamongotherswhocomposeus.justasweformoth ersthroughouractions. Oursoulsexistalways,butourformsareconstantlytransforming,enmeshedindynamic, interactivity, intra-action. Our pudgala,orkarmicdirt, thatcarriesusfromandtowardsnewlifeforms, illuminatestheimpermanence, andfluxo fbeing. Energyforceispermanent, butourlivesaredurations, manifestationsofanongoingflowthatisnotours, althoughwe existwithin,andaspart, andeven contributetoitscreation. Weexistaspartofaprocess, sometimescrossing,changing,overlappingasdog,human,rain,yetstillexisting,whol e,inrelationtoothers.

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Capacities:Propensity Chitrabhanutalksaboutthefundamentalpropertiesofelements, beingsinrelationtotheirtruenature. "Dharmaisnature. Itistheoriginalnature. Youarethat. Everythinghasitsoriginalnature. Thenatureofwateriscool. Saltissalty,itisitsnature. Thesamewaywearealwaysthere. Ournatureisconsciousness."Beingexactlywhateachlivingbeingismeanttobereflectsanimmanencereflectedin Francois Jullien's ThePropensityof Things.[8]Julliendiscussesprocessesofbecoming throughthecapacitytofu nctioneffectivelyusingone'sshi,potentialforce, throughpositioning. Thepropensityofobjects, beings, andthingsinrelationandinteraction, manifesttheirowntendencytobecomeani mated, stemmingfromandthroughthesituation:"Realityalwayspresentsitselfasaparticularsituationthatresultsf romaparticulardispositionofcircumstancesthatis,inturn, inclinedtoproduceaparticulareffect:itisuptothegenera Tandequallytothepolitician, thepainter,andthewriter,toavailhimselfoftheshi...soastoexploitittoitsmaximumpot entiality"(Jullien, 260). In Jainism, differentjivashavedifferentpropensities, alsorealizedthroughtheirarrangements. Here, difference, isnotlack. Eachjivarequiresdifferentaction, andmanifestationoftheir" originalnature."Eachbeingisbestabletoreachtheirc apacitythroughanunderstandingof,useof, orflowwiththeir originalnature, which has differentpotentialthroughdif ferentlifeformsandlifecycles. Theselifeformswillcontinuetochange, allowingdifferentiterations, andexpressionsof dharma. Energy,again, isstable,but, as Chitrabhanuexplains, "Wearesentientenergy. Wehavesense,choice, understanding. Wecanknowwhoweareifwegodeeper. Onceyouknowthatyouaresentientenergy,youcantakecharge."Thisiswherechoiceandactioncomestomatter, a ffectingandrearrangingelements, andone'ssoulmovement throughtime,andphysicalandgeographicforms. Blurred, OngoingTaxonomies Differentjivashavedifferentdispositions, requiringdifferentactionsandenactingdifferentrelations. InJainism jivacategoriesarefixed, butthemovementbetweenthemisblurred. In Jainism,weareinsomewayscompositesofwhatwe'vealwaysbeen sinceeachlifeform eachincarnation, andth eactionsperformedinrelation, moveusthroughtheuniverse. Assubjects, wearemultiple overlapping, continuallydissolvingboundariesbetweenselfandother, throughtime. Weareasmuchex-animal, asex-humanandexvegetable,andwemaybeallthesethingsstill, asoursoulstraversetheuniverse, accumulatingandsheddingpudga la reflectingthepathswe'vetreadandtheliveswe'veled. Whatallowsustorelatetodifferentjivasisnotjusttrust faith, abstractconnection, butthefactthatourpresentdeeds affectoursoul, anditstemporaryhabitationinlifeformsthatinvokedistinctlivingaction, differentformsofconfrontati on, connectionandencounter. ExploringJainphilosophyandpracticesofJainethics, weseehowinterconnectionaffectskarmicmakeup,past,pr esentandfutureactions, experiences, lifecycles. Weseehowinteractionswithlifeformsmoveusbeyondsympathyandempathytodifferent moreenmeshedforms ofinterrelationwith Jainthoughtasthebasisforrelatingtoorganisms, livingthings, tobeingandbecominghuman,a nddifferentmodesofinter-andintra-action. Soulsmovethroughdifferentcelestialandphysicalbodies, andjustastheflyislimitedbywhatitcanperceiveinitsen vironment,wetooarelimited, boundbyoursensoryperceptionsinrelationtoallbeings, andespeciallyinrelationtoa futureorientedtruth. Explorationofconceptionsoftime,consideringpasts presentsandfuturesinrelationtoactionsandpractices, broa densanunderstandingofinterconnection, shiftingunderstandingsofconnectionbetweenlivingbeings. Imagebylumiere, CourtesyofCreative Commonslicense [1]InJainism, a Tirthankarisahumanbeingwhoachievesenlightenmentandcontinuesguidingreligiousteachingt

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hatformsJainscripture,andcommunity. LordMahaviraisconsideredthelastTirthankar, buttherewillbeothers. [2]Thisdoesnotreferjusttoindividuals, buttypesoflivingbeings. [3]Derrida, Jacques. TheAnimalThat ThereforelAm.NewYork:FordhamUniversity Press, 2008 [4] Hacking,lan. "OnSympathy:WithOtherCreatures,"TijdschriftvoorFilosofie63, no.4(2001) [5]VonUexkull, Jacob. "AStrollThroughtheworldofAnimalsandMen:APictureBookoflnvisibleWorlds, "InstinctiveBehavior:TheDevel opmentofa ModernConcept, ed. andtrans. ClaireH. Schiller(New York:International UniversitiesPress, Inc.,1957), pp.5-80. [6]Dundas, Paul. TheJains. TheLibraryofreligiousbeliefsandpractices.London: Routledge, 1992 [7]Lingis, Alphonso. Bestiality.InH.Peter Steeves. (ed). AnimalOthers:OnEthics, Ontology, andAnimalLife. 37-54. State UniversityofNewYorkPress, 1999 [8]Jullien, Francois. ThePropensityofThings, ahistoryofefficacyin China. NewYork:Zone Books, 1995