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JAINA CONVENTION 2011
"Live and Help Live" s
heater and air conditioner. I avoid plucking flowers and stepping on grass to save plants which have souls but only one sense. My family observes four days, which we call "no green days," in which we avoid vegetables and fruits. Roots such as potatoes and onions are not kept in my house because they contain more organisms than other vegetables.
which teenagers from different religions came together and discussed their belief on the relationship between man and the environment. According to Jainism, we must protect the environment to reduce the harm done to the living beings in it. In the Christian faith, they believe that God has given nature as a gift; therefore humans must protect the environment out of respect for their God. Sikhism and Zoroastrian religions say that the environment provides food and shelter for humans and so humans must protect and return to the environment; they give in order to ensure that they will get. All of these religions have different beliefs as to the reason to save the environment and all make sense in their different viewpoints. By learning the thoughts of many different faiths, I was able to understand that one situation can have many plausible opinions, all adding to an ultimate truth.
Vegetarianism is a principle I strictly follow. I check labels of packaged food to avoid indirect animal products such as mono- and diglycerides, gelatin and rennet. When my lunch is packed, paper bags are avoided because they are made from trees and can only be used once. Two- to four-sensed organisms include insects that are respected too. My family, instead of calling bug exterminators whenever ants swarm the house, takes the time to pick up ants and spiders carefully with a soft brush brought from India for the purpose of harmlessly picking and placing them outside in their natural environment. In my presence, my friends at school respect my beliefs and do not harm any insects. One of my friends specially bought an eggless pie for his birthday party so that I would be able to eat, and for my birthday, my friends baked me three plates of gingerbread cookies instead of a ready-made cake with eggs. I am proud that I have influenced my friends to respect other living beings and my Jain principles. My closet does not contain any leather or silk products, because animals and silk worms are killed to manufacture these materials. I will continue to practice nonviolence to the best of my abilities to become a better person.
Another major principle of Jainism is nonpossessiveness, by which I try to minimize greed. Only what is necessary is bought and kept. Every time I desire to buy something new, I am asked the question, "Do you need it or do you want it?" The question allows me to reconsider my request. Over my lifetime, I have become less of an impulsive buyer. If I am able to survive with three pairs of jeans, there is no reason for me to buy another and I am satisfied. In eighth grade, I had wanted text messaging on my phone to be able to easily communicate with my friends. I asked my parents and they bought a plan that gave me 200 text messages a month. My greed increased and I asked for unlimited texting. My parents knew that I did not need unlimited texting and explained why, and now I am satisfied with 200 text messages a month. For one of my birthday presents, my parents bought me an iPod Touch. My sister wanted me to share, but I was attached to it and refused. My sister requested her own iPod Touch to play with but my parents again knew
Along with non-violence, another one of the three major values is multiplicity of views, the ability to recognize the truth in a situation from many different opinions. By employing this principle, I have gained a better understanding of other people. I recently attended an Interfaith Youth Conference in
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