Jain Spirit 2005 06 No22

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

Page 29

QUESTIONS & ANSWER I want to start with saying that we Jains should feel that we are born as a Jain. This is the greatest blessing or gift that can be given to any human being. I really believe that in my personal case, lots of these values were given to us through our parents, and in my case it's my mother. She didn't study much but she made sure that she transferred the right values, the right principles of Jainism to all five of her children. To me, a ritual is a point for us to reflect back. Every year when you celebrate Raksha Bandhan, what does it tell you? You rethink what this life is all about. The love between a brother and a sister is reinvigorated - if we don't have rituals we don't have time for reflection and renewal. I feel that Jain values have been central to my life and achievements. So, rituals do play an important role. But the question is: are we there just to perform the rituals and then forget about them, or do we learn from the rituals? We should make the rituals more productive, more informative and attractive so that people look forward to them every year. In practical terms, how do you apply Jain values in everyday life? Non-violence (ahimsa) is something that affects our behaviour and that has given me very high credibility and high morals. So when a faculty member comes to me very angry, my best reaction at that time is not to get defensive. If you were/are angry, I can also react that way. But then you are no different to the other person. And to me the most important thing is that non-violence teaches the habit of listening. The way you may react at one moment as you do means you are not listening. Listening is something very important, that's what this generation needs to think about. We really need to embed in them this old concept of how important it is to listen. How does Jainism guide you in your decision making and choices? All the time: the three jewels of Right Perception, Right Knowledge and Right Conduct are key to success in life. I really believe in collecting the right information before you form an opinion. Because we can easily be driven by hearsay. If somebody tells you something and then based on that knowledge you take action, then you are the biggest fool. You should not act on what others tell you unless you also have the first hand information. Collect as much information as possible because, at the end of the day, you have to defend yourself. You cannot say, 'oh, somebody else told me and I acted' because then you would look like a fool. So I would personally say that Jainism to me is not only a religion. Jainism is a spirit, it's a guide, it's a philosophy of life, or you could call it a way of life. When you are on the journey of leadership, Jainism can be the best mentor, the best guide. I would use the word: compass. What are your family values? Whenever I am at home in the evening I would sit down with my three children and my wife. We do our aarti and then I read a book. It'll still be religious but I take a book which is more like a story because the kids will only understand the story. So right now as we speak we are reading the whole story of Ramayana. There are lots of similarities between the Ramayana and Jainism. As soon as I come home, I would say "Let's first go and do the aarti and then we'll sit down and eat something." That's what my mother did and I really follow it.
teaching The second thing that Jainism really does very well, which I'm so fortunate to be a part of,
gives is this whole creation of a positive energy. To forgive is good, to forget is better and to move
you forward is the best. This is Jainism. My experience of the Jain community in the West
patience,
because is that many educated professionals who are successful in the modern definitions
you have of success actually are very ignorant about the Jain tradition and some of them are
to have patience, not all even negative about it. Why is that? To me the best way to describe these people is that
students are equal. Teaching they are insecure. There is no other explanation. To me they are so busy with their day-to-day
to me is expressing multiple work that you cannot say that they are just ignorant. To me their lifestyle has become so mixed up
viewpoints. In business, in their everyday work that they just don't have time to reflect. Some Indians think that having an
there is no right answer, so Indian image is not right for them, that if you are in the West you need to become like the others.
when you say anekantvada, or And then what you do is lose your own traditional values, your traditional rituals and beliefs. That's
multiplicity of viewpoints, basically Where the disconnect is. How has an educational career helped you to practise your Jain
what you are saying is that there values? I come from a family of teachers. My grandfather was a teacher for almost fifty years - for
are multiple perspectives. Let's about twenty five years as a school teacher and another twenty years as a principal or a headmaster
listen to them. Then you analyse of a Jain High School. So this is not something I took, it's in our genes. My younger brother is a
each perspective and see what the professor. My wife is a teacher. My father's brother is a teacher, so there are lots of teachers in our families - that is the first thing. What is teaching? If you take teaching as a profession, basically
pros and cons of each perspective
are, and then try to see where you you are influencing lots of people, because the students you teach will listen and respect. Second,
can come up with a solution.. Education International For Personal & Private Use Only
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"TO FORGIVE IS GOOD, TO
FORGET IS BETTER AND TO MOVE FORWARD
IS THE BEST. THIS IS JAINISM”