Jain Spirit 2005 09 No23

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

Page 63

When you tell someone you're a Jain
you're a Jain and they've never heard of it, do you get stuck answering their questions? Do you find yourself stumped by the concepts in your own faith? Well, the Jain Spirit Youth Section wants to arm you with the power tools to answer back! REENA SHAH, 16, from London, like many others, believes it's important for us to have some tocls to use when talking about our faith. Here she throws light on three popular questions...
HOW IS JAINISM DIFFERENT FROM HINDUISM? There are many differences between these religions but here are two significant ones. First, Hindus believe in Gods who created, preserve and can destroy the world, whilst Jains believe that there is no creator. preserver or destroyer of the world. Second, both religions differ in their view of what happens after the soul achieves a state of permanent happiness, called moksha. Hindus believe the soul becomes one with God, whereas Jains believe the souls still exists alone but in a blissful state.
WHY ARE JAINS VEGETARIAN? THAT'S SO UNHEALTHY! When humans kill animals for food or eat meat, this is violence. One of the main Jain concepts is non-violence (ahimsa) and by eating meat, we violate this teaching. Animals also have souls like us and we shouldn't harm other souls. Being a vegetarian or a vegan can be very healthy Science has proven that you can get all the nutrients you need from plant sources or supplements. So why would you want to kill
an animal or eat its flesh? Sain Education International
JAINS BELIEVE IN GDD2 Jains believe in Tirthankaras, teachers who show us the path to reach moksha. Some people call these Tirthankaras Gods or Bhagwan. But it's important to remember that Jains do not believe that these Tirthankaras created the world; they don't give us presents or good grades or earthquakes. They simply teach us how we too can achieve what they have achieved. Finally, we should remember that they too were human beings who walked the earth. In Jainism, every soul has the potential of becoming a Tirthankara. So listen, learn and live like a Jain!
Reena Vanmall is 16 years old and studies A-levels in London. She says that Jainism and Hinduism are a big part of her life and the concepts and principles within them have helped her understand life much better.
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