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BANDA ACEH, INDONESIA - JANUARY 10: A dog walks down a deserted street January 10, 2005 in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. The province of Aceh was one of the worst hit regions in the December 26, 2004 earthquake and subsequent tsunami. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
TSUNAMIAJAIN VIEW
The Jain Spirit editor, Dr Atul Shah remarks on the lessons we can take from the events which ended 2004 and shook the world.
this is one view of God, but not the only view. Also, a tsunami cannot prove or disprove the existence of the soul. The spiritual nature of human beings is not denied by any religion.
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eath can strike anyone at any time, so says the Acharanga Sutra. "Just as a hawk pounces upon the partridge and makes it bereft of life, so also when the life span of a person comes to an end, death snatches him from life. Young and old, even the child in the womb, are not spared from death." We witnessed the tragedy of the Asian tsunami on 26 December 2004 from our television screens and it brought all of us to a state of shock and disbelief. How could this happen? Why did it happen? How unlucky for those who were there at this unfortunate time. How will survivors deal with the trauma? How will locals start a new livelihood? The tsunami demonstrated very vividly human frailty and the unpredictability of nature.
On radio and the press, there have been articles questioning the very existence of God. "How can God do this to his people?" ask many journalists. Clearly
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From a Jain perspective, death is not the be all and end all of life - it is a comma, not a full stop. What is really important is what we make of our life whilst we are alive. Our scriptures counsel us against non-attachment and say: "When in distress, a person has to experience his miseries all alone. After death, he goes to the next life all alone. Hence the wise do not consider anyone. worth taking shelter under." Jains also recognise that humans are but one life form on the planet, and it is a fact that every day, millions of animals are being killed for food, without any care or compassion. This is a major hypocrisy. I picked up a news bulletin which said that surprisingly, hardly any wild animals have been killed. Miraculously, they have survived. Or could it be that they have a sixth sense which we humans do not? It is surprising that science could not predict, but animals somehow knew. Or is it surprising? And where was the science to help us predict this For Personal & Private Use Only
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earthquake and tsunami in advance? Could it really be that science cannot answer all the questions, and that there is such a thing as a conscience and feelings and concern for others, which is innate to all living beings?
Also, the fact that so many countries and peoples were affected at the same time showed that death or destruction does not discriminate. It also vividly demonstrated our interdependence - the generosity of the general public has been unprecedented. Such events do jolt the modern materialistic atheistic mindset, because in the death of others, we witness the possibility of our own death. And that is very hard to absorb, especially for those who are non-believers and those who devote their lives to greed, exploitation and self-indulgence. "If the entire universe, together with all its wealth is given to you, still it can neither satisfy your craving nor will it be able to protect you," explains another scripture. It is in the joy of others, where we will find our own joy. Simplicity, non-violence and selflessness are what bring ultimate happiness and salvation..
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