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10th Biennial JAINA Convention
Brahmacharya is the vow of celibacy. This vow as implied for a householder means refraining from indulgence in sex. Married householder is to restrict his relationship only to his married spouse, discarding intimacy win other women, prostitutes, widows and unmarried girls. Having relation outside marriage puts the family life in crisis. Premarital relations also degrade the value and sacredness of marriage and family. Following the principle of brahmacharya win bring about a healthy environment for a stable family life.
Putting limit on one's possessions is the vow of aparigraha. This encourages one to lessen constant craving for more and for the sense of material greatness. However, it is perhaps human nature to acquire more and more. But the psychology of wanting more, if uncontrolled, turns into greed, ego and jealousy. It is the attachment and lust for material items that are undesirable. Sutrakritoang, a Jain scripture says the root cause of violence is attachment or desire for possession. The psychology of dominating, exploiting, and abusing others generates hatred and prejudice. These lead to conflict, be it between members of a family or a society. A family unit breaks down whenever there is a long and sustained conflict between its members.
The teaching of the Jain religion, its philosophy and logical techniques for avoiding and resolving conflicts through self-control can prove to be beneficial in keeping families together. Our practice of nonviolence coupled with an understanding of the Jain doctrine of multiplicity of viewpoints, Anekoantvaud, and the Jain theory of karma, should lead to peace and harmony in our families.
Our Teerthankars, the enlightened ones who reformed and reinstated the religious order, recognized that conflicts could be avoided if the human mind is taught to control itself. They taught that all life forms share a common goal, that of ultimate happiness and bliss. They also accepted that human beings nevertheless differ with one another in their opinions, aspirations, and their approaches to life. But reasoned the Teerthankars, in spite of such differences we should avoid conflicts. A conflict arises when people believe that their own opinions are the only right one, and that they alone have the truth. Everyone else must be wrong. Such a self-righteous attitude generates vain pride, prejudice and consequently contempt and conflict. To believe that I alone have the truth and to disregard that others may have some elements of truth is wrong belief. This is an important fundamental principle of Jainism. This is the doctrine of relativism Syaudvand, or multiplicity of viewpoints, Anekaantvaad. We Jain believe that truth has many facets. This is an effective conflict resolution tool. When this tool is applied during a very emotional argument in the family, the conflict will move closer to a peaceful resolution. Jain principles advocating openness and self-control are aimed both at preventing, as well as, resolving conflicts. The challenge of course is to believe in, absorb, and live by these principles.
According to Jain metaphysics, every individual soul is responsible for its actions and in turn, for the future course of its life. It is the law of nature that we reap what we sow. This law of karma in spiritual science is not very different from the law of action and reaction in physics. We ourselves have to correct the wrongs done by us in the past, or suffer the consequences. If everyone knew that one day he is surely going to bear the consequences of
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Jain Education Intemational 2010_03
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