Jain Journal 1970 01

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 74

182
JAIN JOURNAL
16.
Do Jainas like animals better than children ?
... children and animals, in nature's own symbiosis. The veiled antagonism in the question is justified from an anarchical point of view. To deny the social order is to deny the psychotic thread between child violation and animal violation. Our twentieth century is not free from anarchy, it would sadly seem, from the viewpoints of both animals and children. The shameful need to protect children is filled by many organization, but how many organizations protect animals ? May we suggest that the end responsibility of the state is the physical protection of its citizens. Jainism simply extends citizenship to the animals. Tradition claims that the twenty-four great Jinas in their teaching conditions spoke in audience halls with special seating for animals. Since those transcendent times, for Jaina support of bird hospitals, animal refugee centers and societies for the protection of prisoners without crimes, Jainas have been renowned. Smt. Rukmini Devi, Animal Welfare Board, Government of India, writes in the Board Magazine of Sprin 1965, "I am a Jaina at heart as I believe that Ahimsā is the one and only religion...” In affirming the good Jaina name in animal welfare, Smt. Devi is joined by even that great soul Gandhi who studied Ahimsā with a Jaina teacher.
17. Yes, Gandhi did study many religions, why did he not accept the
Jaina religion ?
... in conviction, if not in name. Let us research the influences that brought the child of an animal sacrifice religion to the firm and fixed belief in a radical Ahimsā. Gandhi was born in the Jaina stronghold of Gujarat state. His mother was pious along Jaina lines. His boyhood was lived among Jaina ascetics always willing to share their classic learning. Then Gandhi went into young adulthood, eventually to South Africa. From there, perplexed by his study of comparative religions, he exchanged letters with the young Jaina in Bombay. Much later, Gandhi wrote, “Tolstoy, Ruskin and Rajchandraji, the three great personalities have influenced me much.” Of course, Rajchandraji was the young Jaina. Tweny-seven conscience questions Gandhi put to Rajchandraji. Example: "Is there merit in performing animal sacrifice? ” and “What should you do if a snake comes to bite you?” Many study years later, Gandhi wrote that he prayed for an enlightened person to stop animal sacrifice, and that he did not want to live at the cost of a life, even the life of a snake. What but Jaina answers to his early conscience questions? Gandhi's own words make plain that he owned his changeover to full Ahimsa---to the Jaina principle