Jain Spirit 2000 03 No 03

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

Page 20

"I believe that out of all the diverse groups in America, Jain Americans are among the best equipped to achieve genuine diversity."
unity, there is more strength in diversity, provided diversity is directed toward the common good. Unfortunately today, in the climate of political correctness, diversity gets defined by the squeaky wheel; some minority group that screams bloody murder that their rights are being violated. Minority rights must be respected. But the cries we have been hearing are for the most part pleas for special treatment, for favours of the welfare kind. However, that is not in the interests of the common good. I believe America must develop her diversity to confront national and world problems.
I also believe that out of all the diverse groups in America, Jain Americans are among the best equipped to achieve this task. Why? How? When? Where? Before we answer these questions which affect your daily lives, there are some housekeeping matters we must put in order. First there is the matter of name-recognition. Americans have heard of the Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists, but they do not know who the Jains are. Sometimes they are confused as a branch of Buddhism. My students often do a guessing game: "Aren't they the people who go around, wrapped in white bed sheets, wearing surgical masks?" Or, more excitedly: "Aren't they all nudists?" We need to set up a commission for bringing media attention to the community. Secondly, there is the matter of transmitting aspects of our religion to Christians and Jews in terms which are not open to misunderstanding. For example when we refer to a holy object on the altar as an idol, we employ a conventional translation which fails to do justice to the spiritual reality on the one hand, and on the other hand we invite its denigration. After all, to members of the JudeoChristian tradition an idol is something false, degrading and superstitious. They will wonder how your piety could be rational when it is made up of such idolatrous nonsense.
Along the same lines, we need to rescue some of our key concepts from negative connotations. For example, out of the five vratas, a householder must observe, three are formulated in the scriptures in negative form ahimsa, asteya and aparigraha. Outside the community mention of these values often draws a weak response. It all sounds less than resolute, even wishy-washy. That is a matter of regret, because a value such as ahimsa is more than a compendium of 'don'ts'; it also mandates positive behaviour characterised by love - a value
JAINS HAVE A LOT TO OFFER
| which Christians can readily recognize and appreciate. At that point your religion begins to make sense to your friend, because the American mind is attuned to positive thinking.
A third matter of house cleaning touches on gender sensitivities. All religions face this problem because they were shaped in patriarchal societies, which viewed women in sexually belittling terms. Therefore scriptural passages, which reflect the social conditioning of their times better than the humane and non-discriminatory principles of the religion should be reappraised with the consciousness of gender equality. Jainism, at heart, is an egalitarian religion even though some of its writings on women appear demeaning. However, it is not sufficient to acknowledge this disparity; western standards of law and morality demand its immediate rectification. In the same vein, Jain speakers from India should be advised, when addressing American audiences, to use inclusive language in speech and writings. Christians have
American Jains, Dr. Surendra and Mrs. Hira Sethi, lighting a candle for Jain Spirit.
March May 2000 Jain Spirit
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PICCREDIT:: NARENDRA SHAH