________________
2003
JAINA ܀܀܀܀܀܀܀܀܀܀
I
INTRODUCTION TO OPENNESS OF JAINISM AND OTHER RELIGIONS
By Editorial Team
Professor Hans Küng of the University of Tubingen in Germany is a worldfamous Catholic theologian. He has studied various religions including Hinduism, Confucius philosophy, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, and of course Christianity. He has not studied Jainism in much depth but does quote from Jain Sutrakritanga 1.11.33A person should treat all creatures as he himself would be treated. He claims religions may have their dark sides but if one looks at the bright side than the core Ethical principals of all the major religions are consistent with the others. Based on that he believes we can develop a Global Ethic order summarized below:
We are independent. Each of us depends on the well-being of the whole, and so we have respect for the community of living beings, for people, animals, and plants, and for the preservation of Earth, the air, water and soil.
We must treat others as we wish others to treat us. We make a commitment to respect life and dignity, individuality and diversity, so that every person is treated humanely, without exception.
The Irrevocable directives would be commitment to a culture of:
Non-violence and respect of life. Solidarity and a just economic order
Tolerance and a life of truthfulness • Equal rights and partnership between men and women
A Transformation of Consciousness (Each individual has intrinsic dignity and inalienable rights, and each also has an inescapable responsibility for what she or he does and does not do. All our decisions and deeds, even our omissions and failures, have consequences).
From the Jain perspective of Anekant we would welcome Global Ethic order. We Jains have always believed that the "Message is more important than the Messenger". We would simply wish for the Jains to become better Jains, the Christians to become better Christians or the Muslims to become better Muslims by following true Nonviolence and tolerance. Under the doctrine of Anekant Jains will not be too much bothered, even if Christians consider the believers of other religions as hidden Christians (unless they use force and or any unethical means to convert people of other faith to Christianity). This doctrine of Anekant has made it possible for Jains
tending Jain Heri
in Western Enviror
Cnvironment
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