Introduction to Jainism

Author(s): Rudi Jansma, Sneh Rani Jain
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

Page 23

WHO ARE THE JAINS?
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modern Anuvrat (= “atom” or small vow) movement in India (now known as Anuvibha Global Organization), begun in 1949 by the Svetambara monk Achārya Tulsi, which influences the whole of India. Its basic principles are as simple as they are old: sensitivity for the feelings of others; social harmony, exclusively nonviolent resistance, limited consumption; integrity; the conviction that the means to reach a goal should be pure; fearlessness, objectivity, and truthfulness. Its aim is to teach people to be self-controlled, independent of their caste, color, creed, nationality or language; to establish friendship, unity, peace and ethics as basic values, and to build a nonviolent society. The means to reach these goals are both simple and obvious, and mold a spiritual path which is accessible to everyone who believes in the possibility of developing his or her character: to teach people to have confidence in spiritual, moral and human values, and to inspire them to take specific vows. Because the Indian people have a religious inclination by nature and after thousands of years of experience firmly believe in the existence of an ethical relationship between cause and effect, taking a vow is regarded as something very serious and a vow as unbreakable. A vow therefore does not need to be reinforced by threat of sanctions. Nevertheless large numbers of citizens, including factory workers, government officials and traders have taken such vows. The most important of these as formulated for modern times by Anuvibha, are: 1) I will not kill any innocent mobile creature (for Jains this involves a strictly vegetarian way of life); I will not commit suicide, nor abortion; 2) I will attack no one, nor support aggression; I will try to further the cause of world peace and disarmament; 3) I believe in the oneness of humankind and will not discriminate against anyone; 4) I will practice religious tolerance and avoid creating sectarian conflict; 5) in business affairs and in my behavior in general I will never inflict harm to reach my goals, and I will not resort to deceit; 6) I will lead a life without addictions and abstain from intoxicants such as alcohol, cannabis, heroin, tobacco, etc.; 7)