ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 03

Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

Page 206

WES
physical ability), and merely look at secular duties such as the duty a father has to support his family. It is a commitment taken for life, which continues even after a divorce. If this father falls ill, reasonable people would not begrudge his inability to work. Actually, the tides might turn and the children might then have to care for their father. Also, social systems can build in accommodations that protect both the children and father, such as disability, unemployment and health insurances. This does not mean that the sick or disabled person themselves has an easy task finding fulfillment after losing certain functionalities and means of participation. Many of the disabled clients I have cared for over the years struggle with depression and suicidal feelings, especially during the time when their injury is new. The saving grace in the Jaina voluntary death practice is the inclusion of means to ensure that the choice to die voluntarily is not based on despondency. The Jaina system even eschews less negative motivations, such as wanting gain in the future, since such feelings are tipping the scale away from equanimity and renunciation.
The disconnect between the Jaina and secular approaches here, it seems, from the view that after a certain threshold the negative consequences from the inability to fulfil commitments made does not outweigh positive consequences from any good activities. Even if a person can still participate, such as an ascetic being confined to a chair but still being able to give discourses and which surely causes the influx of positive karma, the inability to perform other ascetic duties is still causing the influx of negative karma. Jaina karmic theory, here, does not leave much room for intention. Even for the Jaina who sincerely wishes they could continue fulfilling their religious commitments, and feels remorse for not being able to, negative karma relentlessly bonds. In all the traditions that embrace karma and rebirth, it is usually said in one way or another that 'a short life of high quality is better than a long life of low quality.' Quality here could be measured by non-harm and the fulfillment of religious duties, both religious ideals. From the secular perspective of health care ethics, quality of life can ever be defined this way. I would even go as far as to say that it would be dangerous to determine life being worthwhile in health care based on non-harm and the fulfillment of religious duties that rely on physical ability rather than mental capacity and meaningful participation in society. In this way, in principle, health ethics aim towards equal treatment in considering people equally worthwhile and deserving of all means of help for cure or comfort even if clients are harmful or lack physical ability.
There are occasions in the Jaina tradition, however, where exceptions are made for a monastic unable to fulfill certain religious obligations due to ill-health. "[l]f an ascetic can no
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