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2015 JAINA Convention
Jainism World of Non-Violence
Ahinsa: An idea for all ages
Source Jainism strives towards non-violence as the highest ethic. However, non-violence is a fundamental concept that extends far beyond any sectarian identity. Jains, who aspire to internalize eternal truths, agree with this view.
preservation where one has to resort to literal violence, is an extremely exceptional circumstance. Therefore, if one wishes, a significantly nonviolent life, consistent with the Jain View, is both possible and expected What then, about institutionalized violence by states, societies and so on? Non-violence is often thought to be ineffective. To test this, we need to look no further than Gandhi or Dr. King. If we do look further, we again find that throughout history, the ideals of humanity have been those who have enabled peace and prosperity. There are always parallel violent struggles, but even their motive often is the long-term prevention of violence
Historically, even the earliest Hindu texts speak of ahinsa. The formal statement, ahinsa parmo dharma' is in fact found not in a Jain text, but in the Adiparva of Mahabharata. There, it is mentioned as a fundamental ethic for a brahmana, or a person who is on the path to attain supreme knowledge Hindu texts, however, spare plenty ambiguity for violence. Contrary to popular belief, the statement is not found in the Bhagavad Gita, which clarifies the concept of righteous war and the general performance of violence for the cause of divine duty.
Looking in the mirror Question remains, in the contemporary world, do our ordinary actions cause vio lence through the long chains of supply and wastage that we are tied to? The answer seems to be uncomfortable, and it is evident that it is our actions, which cause the miseries of the world. For example, it is more meaningful to con sume locally grown vegetables than to just eat vegetables which come from industrial farming, which may disrupt the ecology, kill animals in fields, create unfair situations for farmers and farm labor, and so on.
Concept Jain thinkers strongly denounce the idea of a creator-pod or a god who punishes, rewards or intervenes in any way Beings are responsible for their actions and outcomes following fixed, natural laws. In a clockwork, cyclical universe, beings can eventually attain liberation from the cycle of birth and death through appropriate behaviour
Every extant religion speaks of or implies non-violence. Jainism, however, emphasizes non-violence towards the natural world and even the tiniest creatures because it explicitly recognizes that all beings are bound through mutual support and interdependence.
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NL Similarly, it is impossible to ignore that the resources and technologies we use,
from electricity to oil, to even the plastics and practically every aspect in our ur han world. These are directly tied to violences across the globe through deforested land, toxic wastes, climate change large-scale extinctions and so on Humans are directly affected as well, war, poverty, hunger, horrifie labour conditions are all direct outcomes. It is perhaps critical that we re-examine these relationships and also how they can he changed in ways that stop the rampant destruction of the world. These new, non-violent relationships may be critical to a rejuvenated society
Moreover, Jainism is known to have produced a lot of instructional texts for laypeople, and these go into specific details of non-violent behaviour, from acquiring food to the thoughtful disposal of human waste For example, this Jain ideal is apparent mostly in a very specific kind of vegetarianism, which advocates that one should even avoid eating root vegetables to prevent killing an entire plant or the minuscule creatures which live in the soil.
Finally, have our own professions and businesses retained the inner spirit of Jainism? Throughout history, Jain lay. people took up professions that discouraged violence, even indirectly. Today, have our businesses gone on to create the kind of violence that a literal reading of scriptures may allow by omission? For example, a thousand years ago there would be no specific instructions on how to work with electricity of machines or industrially processed food Violence can be anywhere in our factories, in our markets, towards our consumers or towards the world from which these resources are gathered. Whether viewed through Jain reasoning or through the historical lenses of rise and fall of societies and groups, it may reasonably be said that thoughtless action can only being misery and suf fering in the long term
Expounding on need for deep solutions, Acharya Shri Mahashraman, the eleventh acharya of the terapanthi sect, explains, "Where is violence bom?" It is born in a thought. Thought is key, speech and actions are seen as manifestations
An idea for all ages The idea of nonviolence may seem fragile to some, but the history of the subcontinent indicates otherwise However, it is prudent to take a view of nonviolence outside the folds of history and recognized Jainism, especially in the legacy of Gandhi. In the contemporary world, plenty has been achieved through this doctrine. Whether it be viewed through De King's activism or through Desmond Tutu's work on the Truth and Reconciliation Project, or even the more formalized diplomacies between nations, it becomes clear that nonviolence is may well be the only approach that works for the benefit of all in the long term A contrary View
Simple starts When one can view the roots of these networks and the roots of the violence inadvertently caused by them, then one can begin to take steps towards a meaningful Jain non-violence, whether through minute day-to-day activities or through profound overall changes in life and work Muni Shri Tarun Sagar ji, a leader of the digambarasect explains that non-violence can be quite simple.
There are some reasonable defence in favour of violence, which tend to stem from self-preservation and sometimes manifests in a bigger scale towards fighting systematic oppression. Violence in self-defense, in fact, finds some cur rency in Jain lose: Adinath teaches people, amongst other things, the usage of weapons, and there is admission that it is reasonable for laypeople to use violence for the purpose of preserving their own lives. Is this contrary to Jainism? This requires a deeper meditation on the subject, which reveals a simple truth in day-to-day life, actual threat to self
"Take as little as possible, give as much as you can and live fully," he says. Anveshan is a Bangalore-based media organization exploring the Jain tradition. Through films and publications, we hope to bring out how the eternal truths embodied by Jainism resonates with the self and society of contem porary times For details please send email to contact projectavan.com Illustration by Ragini Bhow. You can see her work at www.cargocollective.com raginibhow
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