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15th Biennial JAINA Convention 2009
Ecology - The Jain Way
JAINISM IS ECOLOGY -
Jain ecological perception views evolution and ECOLOGY IS JAINISM
growth of life in all its splendor and variety on this Narendra P. Jain
planet. It is a democratic concept pinning faith in drnpjain@yahoo.co.in
the sanctity, integrity and equality of social category, irrespective of differing forms of living
creatures ranging from humans to animals, Dr. Narendra P. Jain has been insects. plants and other miniscule living India's veteran career diplomat for organisms. over 40 years. He has served as Secretary, Ministry of External The Jain religion arouses the awareness that Affairs of India as well as India's humans, the most gifted of living beings on Earth,
Ambassador to European Union, need to awaken to the realization that they have USA, Nepal, Mexico and Belgium. Dr. Jain is also a an obligation to fight for processing life on Earth. renowned Jain Scholar with a number of books on Jain Religion and Philosophy in Hindi, English and Not just for themselves, but for all other living Gujarati.
beings as well as the natural environment. There
is no cause more urgent, no dedication more Practicing the Jain religion in the 21" Century fitting than to protect the future of our species in should acquire the orientation and focus of a a peaceful and healthy ecological setting. Humans religion of environment. Bhagwan Mahavir's must realize that God has given them an uplifted greatest contribution was to articulate with great face so that spiritually they turn their eyes to clarity a comprehensive and wide-ranging heaven, while all other animals are prone to fix definition of Ahimsa. Behind this enlarged and their gaze upon the earth. Thus, the identification integrated vision of non-violence was the spiritual of human obligation to the universe has both urge to transform the concepts of 'oneness of all spiritual connotation as well as realistic and creation and live and let live' into life ethics. practical implications in day-to-day life. Mahavir elucidated the principles of Jainism in their most fundamental and encompassing But look what has happened. In a poet's words: compassionate parameters.
Now the land is barren Indeed, 'Jainism is ecology and ecology is The waters are contaminated Jainism. Ecology is the culture of inter
The air is polluted relationship among all living organisms and their The forests are dying
ht. It encompasses the entire universe The creatures are disappearing. - all the stars and planets and their geospheres and hydrospheres, their atmospheres and This represents the selfish exploitative instinct of biospheres. Living organisms are to coexist with human beings for the sake of temporary material the forces of nature in an ambience of mutually comforts and at the cost of permanent damage to complimentary and mutually-sustaining
Earth's divine support system. A poet has put it interdependence.
aptly.
The integrated linkage between Ahimsa and We live in all things. ecology is reflected all around us. A river does not All things lie in us drink its own water, a cow does not drink its own We live by the sun milk and a tree does not eat its own fruits. They We move with the stars give them to others. Life grows only because of We eat from the earth such mutually supportive generosity and we drink from the rain understanding.
We breathe from the air
We depend on the forest. For over 5000 years, religion has enshrined this approach in the motto of 'Parasparopgrha Hence the Jain religion ordains that in the best Jeevanam.' This means that all living organisms,
tradition of 'forgiveness', we human beings must irrespective of the degree of their sensory
come in communion with nature and the vital perceptions or size, are bound together by mutual elements of universal ecology. Only then we support and interdependence. This is part of would deserve the joy of celebrating our Earth's integrated life support system.
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