Jain Spirit 1999 10 No 02

Author(s): Jain Spirit UK
Publisher: UK Young Jains

Page 26

he word disability implies weak
or on
negative. None of us are perfect, and Jain philosophy focuses on the potential of each soul, rather than its present physical state. To call someone disabled is to deny them their potential.
What is disability? What's in a name? Would a rose by any other name not smell as sweet? Would a spastic not be as retarded, would a cripple be able to walk any better, would old four eyes be able to see any better, would it stop you talking about old deaf ears in front of him as though he didn't exist? Shocked? Horrified? Disgusted? Are you telling us that you have never been witness or party to a negative thought or deed regarding someone who was ABNORMAL! No? Well in that case you must be an exceptional Jain indeed, along with the company that you keep. You must all be well on your way along the path to liberation. We salute you! And those of you that answered honestly - read on. mon valenstal n
According to William Hague (Former U.K. Minister For Disabled People), in his paper "Ending discrimination against disabled people", presented to parliament in 1995, the definition of disability applies to: 'A person with a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and longterm adverse affect on his/her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.'
In the western world there are two main models of disability, the Medical and the Social. The Medical model being the oldest and most common way of thought, regards disability as an ailment that needs to
be cured, in order to be accepted
into and by society as a whole. It places the onus on the disabled individual to conform to the "NORM". It generally concentrates on the negative physical aspects, in other
words, the things that people can't do for themselves, things that require a carer to do including thinking and making decisions on their behalf.
The Social model on the other hand concentrates on the individual's strengths, the things they can do, predominantly the ability to think and make decisions. This model believes that all human life is valuable. Anyone, whatever their impairment, is capable of exerting choices. People who are disabled by society's reaction to physical, intellectual, and sensory impairment and to emotional distress have a right to assert control over their lives.
Disability is not categorically mentioned in Jain texts. A possible reason for it not being defined individually is that the Jain philosophy identifies each living being as a soul independent of the body, which is more like a costume. Hence its focus from the beginning is on the aesthetic qualities rather than the external physical appearance. It states that all souls are equal and deserve to be treated as such. Compassion, understanding, and co-existence are the essence of Jain philosophy. Jainism does not preach that there is any special power ruling over the destinies of men either from above or beyond. On the contrary it teaches that every individual determines their own destiny by their own mental and physical exertions which by themselves generate energies that bring them agreeable or disagreeable experiences. By reacting positively towards our fellow souls, we can indeed reduce our own negative karma.
our Jain beliefs in the course of our daily lives? Think back to the last time you came across a disabled stranger. What was the first thing that came to your mind? Did you
Whose dis-ability
talk to that person? Did you talk to the person next to them? The natural question which comes to mind would be: I wonder what is wrong with them. Then perhaps you may feel pity or sympathy. Perhaps if it was someone with a speech impediment you may have questioned their intellect, perhaps you felt uncomfortable looking at them if they were disfigured in some way, or perhaps the experience was just too uncomfortable to deal with so you looked away and ignored them.
Okay so there we have the theory in a nutshell, but what about the
Chetan and Shital are brother and sister
reality? Just how many of us practice living in London. Chetan was a Treasurer of
Young Jains for several years and Shital is very active in her local community. Mr. Jatin Shah in London is actively trying to form a Jain group for physically challenged people, so please call him on 020 8907 1219 if interested. Sponsors also welcome.
Now question what is the relevance of knowing what is wrong with someone. Will putting a label on them make you value them any more or less? Do they really deserve your pity or do they deserve your compassion? Do they want your sympathy or would they prefer your empathy? When we pity and feel sympathy for others what we are really doing is standing in judgement of them. Are any of our souls so perfectly pure that we dare to judge our fellow souls? The principle of Ahimsa is not just about non-violence but also about acceptance and understanding. To ignore someone is to deny his or her existence. The society in which we live is as rich as it is because of our differences not inspite of them. Surely this is reason enough to learn to accept and value these differences instead of devaluing them. How many of you out there have the same perfection? The same perfect eyes, ears, arms and legs? Who ewe and ewe and ewe? Goodness gracious me you must be clones. Well in that case we'll just say Baaaaa for now!
October December 1999
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• Jain Spirit 25 www.jainelibrary.org