Jain Spirit 1999 10 No 02

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

Page 54

Yes, you are quite right in mentioning these crises in family, society and the environment. In the political life of nations and continents, there are heavy clouds over the next millennium and I am not a fool to ignore them. You ask rightly what we can do. The answer is: the more true we are to our principles, the more effective we can be against these crises. Just this last quotation if we could apply in practice, then all these wars and all these oppositions would naturally disappear. Both Christianity and Jainism emphasise simplicity of life, so if we learn to reduce our needs as Jains and as Christianity teaches, we shall be doing the best to somehow avoid these crises. So, again, to go back to fundamentals is how to avoid these crises. I will add one more point, as you mentioned family - that together with our principles we have to add a certain openness and flexibility, because too much rigidity will bring about a greater crisis. The idea is to combine our convictions which may remain firm with our openness to new solutions to our problems.
When you say simplicity, even we Jains don't practise enough simplicity, and Christians even less. The Bill Gateses of the world are richer than 30 countries in the world, so the idea of more and more accumulation is dominant in the world. Do you have any thoughts on how this idea of simplicity moves up to the top of the agenda of society?
The only way that I know is through example. You said very well that in practice neither Christians nor Jains in general put into practice this principle. We have too many things; we are taken over by this consumerism. What strikes me is that people who are in the public eye often lead simple lives. For example, when I first met the famous philosopher Krishnamurti in a plane, all his luggage was just a little hand purse. He had booked no suitcase; he had no hand luggage, nothing to carry in his hands - a man who could have had everything. These examples can do more than any preaching. If we have people that are in the public eye and are respected and show that they need very little, that will be a way for all of us to greater simplicity in life.
life, the social life of Jains and what you find is good and positive about it?
I spent ten years of my life living from house to house as a begging guest in houses of Ahmedabad, and many of my hosts were Jains. I never chose, I went from one house to the other they could be Hindus; they could even be Muslims. Among the Jains, I found the family ties to be extremely strong, in the best sense of the word. That means that everybody in the family was standing for everyone else. There may be difficulties, a boy who fails in the exam, or a marriage that runs into difficulties - I have wit
Truth embraces all
Among the Jains, I found the family ties to be extremely strong
nessed some of the most difficult things. At such times, the whole family would rally together and then that boy, or that girl, or that man or woman knew that they had a place there that would always be their home, absolutely and totally. Another thing I liked was the cleanliness, both physical and the way a Jain house is kept, the way the water is filtered, avoiding eating at night. Jains keep very carefully to the rules of outer cleanliness as an image of the inner cleanliness, of living a clean life inside. Another thing I noticed in the Jains, which I know is very true, is that there would be a knock on the door and there would be a Jain Sadhvi (nun), knocking for their daily food. It was a very beautiful image to see a person who lives directly on alms, never cooks for herself and depends directly on these families. From the part of the Sadhvi, that tremendous penance, renunciation, and from the part of the family, a readiness to serve any day. That is the thing that I will never forget. When the monks and nuns come for their daily beggings, that is really a blessed sight that I hope will be continued and preserved in the world to come.
Photo: Chandu Shah
You spent quite a bit of time in the family homes of Jains in India. Could you please tell us a little bit about the sort of family Stained glass window of Leicester Jain temple
What would you like to say to young Jains?
First of all, to learn your own tradition, the treasures that you have yourself. Learn your mother tongue and, in addition, put your tradition into practice.
October December 1999 ⚫ Jain Spirit 53