Jain Center Los Angeles CA 2008 09 Pratishta Souvenior

Author(s): Jain Center So CA Los Angeles
Publisher: USA Jain Center Southern California

Page 155

STRUGGLES OF JAINISM
Kaushal Shah
Jainism, as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is "an ascetic religion of India, founded in the sixth century BC, that teaches the immortality and transmigration of the soul and denies the existence of a perfect or supreme being." Even though this may come across as simplicity, there is a lot more to uncover about this profound religion. After many years of precise studying, I have learned to appreciate and understand the true meanings behind each and every one of our principles/guidelines. Below are some examples of such rules that may seem rather challenging to follow, but soon become a way of life.
One such "restriction," as one may call it, is the practice of non-violence towards all beings. As easy as this may sound, it is quite difficult to continuously perform. A particularly hard situation for me in which to follow this was at school, when you are bullied around at times, or even harassed. Keeping your cool and remaining calm at such a time is almost impossible, as anger almost steals into your consciousness. However, after quite a bit of practice, this has slowly been easing into my life as a daily routine. Nonviolence, or "ahimsa" as Jains call it, is possible to achieve.
Another prohibition in Jainism is in the use of proper speech. Growing up in a society in which profanity and vulgar terms are part of everyday life, it becomes seemingly hard to refuse from joining in on such activities. Whenever you are in the presence of other kids, even your friends, cussing and crude language are a part of all conversations, and not being a part of it proves to be a challenge at times. In the society we have today, using such words has become a sign of "coolness" or even a way to better "communicate." But, if one practices and is literal, such words have no meaning, and alternate words are substituted, which is what I try to do. Therefore, the art of speech can also be altered to suit that properly for a Jain.
Lastly, one of the hardest tasks for a Jain is being a vegetarian. Often times, other people around you are not able to respect your eating habits, and tend to ridicule you for eating only "grass." It gets rough as soon as this becomes an emotional problem, but by practicing Jainism, and realizing that you are saving lives, the feeling of sorrow soon vanishes. Just by avoiding meat and eggs, we are able to make a big difference in the amount of surviving organisms. That feeling is so great, surpassing the amount of dejection one may face after being ridiculed for always eating salad.
Jainism, although it may often times test you to the best of your abilities, is a religion that helps promote individualism and compassion. By being kind and respectful to everyone and all things, one becomes a good human being, and better yet, a good soul. I am extremely thankful for being born as a Jain, for this path helps me determine my future destiny, which I hope is rewarding. Until then, I shall keep following the conduct of Jainism, my religion, my savior.
Kaushal Shah is a Pathshala student and the winner of the essay competition in the 13-15 age group.
I learnt from my Pathshala teachers to respect the elders, friends and family members. Also, now I can read simple Gujrati and write letters in small sentences to my grandparents. Mohit Shah, 9