Ahimsa Crisis You Decide

Author(s): Sulekh C Jain
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

Page 87

Additionally, he needs to know whether the medicine he takes and the delivery system and personnel who provide the medicine were involved in the use of animals and plants. Does he have firearms in his home? Is his car or boat furnished with leather, silk, or fur? What about his wallet or handbag? Does he hunt, shoot, or fish? Does he attend cockfights or bullfights, dog racing or horse racing events? Does he go to the circus or the zoo? Similarly, an ahimsak must ask: How many miles per gallon does his car get? How much pollution does his company discharge into the air, land, and water? Does he use chemicals on his lawn? Does he buy organic produce? How much paper does he use? How often does he use trains, airplanes, and other fuel-guzzling forms of transport? Does he participate in animal sacrifice, in the stoning of humans or animals? Does he smoke cigarettes or cigars? The ahimsak must examine all his relationships, direct and indirect. He asks whether he is involved in any form of discrimination, racial profiling, unjust and discriminatory laws and regulations, in apartheid or slavery or untouchability, in crimes, terrorism, riots, unjust wars or any other conflicts. He looks at his investments, to see if he is profiting from the exploitation of humans or animals, in the destruction of the environment, or in activities that endanger human health and safety. He considers all aspects of his personal life and family life, his religious life, his business and social life. He asks whether he is involved in any religious intolerance, whether he possesses anything that by law belongs to another, whether his workplace supports discrimination based on sex, gender, skin color, ethnicity, religion, beliefs, age, size, or disability. He evaluates his company's hiring and firing policies, its promotions and demotions, and compensation and rewards policies. In short, one who follows ahimsa leaves no stone unturned in the pursuit of love, respect and compassion for all, in An Ahimsa Crisis: You Decide
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