Jainism Abroad

Author(s): Pratap J Tolia
Publisher: Vardhaman Bharati International Foundation

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The gap between religion and material life is getting bigger and bigger and deeper and deeper; I think even India needs a few miracles. I've seen some myself. I am convinced about that. The only thing I object to is, they don't do them often enough for the masses. They don't do them except during pooja times, I've seen people walking over the water, some of the sadhus staying under the ground for 24 hours and 36 hours without air, so I know that the capacity of what we might call "miracles" is there. So why don't we use that knowledge if it exists? Obviously it exists, I have seen it for real and it is no hallucination. This is not the time to tell stories. Now, if they have the potential for miracle-making and for getting a large of nature change, why don't you do that? He said, "I am working out my own Karma. I don't care for the Karma of others. Let them work out their own Karma"- This is a very cruel cold picture. I don't know whether he was a Jain or a Hindu, but the very fact that he is only concerned with his Karma and nobody else's Karma - goes against the grain of our Western philosophy, because here, we always believe that a Christian Monk or somebody Holy, is supposed to work for everybody, not for himself: It looks to me that Karma is the corner stone of Hindu philosophy. That is why I asked you to define Karma; because I was slowly getting to this point. Individual Karma is the only thing that seems to matter. I'll tell you another story. When I came from Howrah Airport the first time I touched India in the 60's, I think we passed through Ballgunj, one of the suburbs, to get into the centre of Calcutta. At the traffic circle where one of those nice, well dressed policemen with a Turban on top directing traffic, next to him was the corpse of a child, not more than about 6-7 years. Now, that struck me. I asked the driver to stop and asked the policeman - "What's with this child?" He said, "Saab, the child is dead'. I said, "I see that the child is dead, but what's going to happen to him?" "It is nothing; somebody will sooner or later pick him up". Now, there had been thousands of people going about, looking at the child, turning their heads and going off. I asked the driver," How did he die?". "Probably of starvation, why else would he die?" "Is there nobody to feed that child? Do something to help the child survive?" Then the driver gave me a very common sense Hindu answer, which I have always remembered all these years. He said, 'If nobody will feed that child, he would interfere with his Karma. It is the business of the family to feed the child. If I went over there with a loaf of bread or milk, I might be interfering with his Karma. May be his Karma was to die at the age of 8. If we save him, they die anyhow in 23 years. But then he will be late for his Karma redemption. "This explanation to a western mind is completely alien. I suppose when you are steeped In Hindu philosophy, you understand the meaning of it and it may help a lot. I want to hear your reaction to the stories I've told.
Prof. Pratapkumar J. Toliya: Yes, the first thing is, this is not the Jain point of view. It may differ from the Hindu point of view. Whether it is their point of view also, I do not know. Jaina point of view will be - A Jaina would immediately help him out of compassion and love, because Jaina principle of Karma is not individual - it is the religion of each and every person. Just like the famous Jaina saying which says -
"Let all be happy and let my effort be to make each and everyone happy". This is the Jaina principle of compassion and love or service. If a "true Jaina" were there, he would rush to the spot and try to save the child or the person who is dying. I shall like to contribute here that Jaina philosophy is full of mercy, compassion and social relevance - not the Karma's to be eradicated for one person. A Jaina thinks all the while, for the society and the nearby people.
(Agreeing interviewer & Intermittent Music)
Dr. John Monelesco: Let's clarify some of these matters. Sir, why can't we have a wide spread Miracles and powerful Sadhus to alleviate some of these food shortages and number 2, to spare life, because life is so sacred, because the way you put it, everybody is sinning, everybody is feeling Karma will never stop and nobody will have Moksha, except the guys who eventually learn how to breathe Prana, stop eating.
Prof. Pratapkumar J. Toliya: I would like to clarify here - I don't mean to say that everybody is sinning, that everybody is accumulating the debt, whether of sins or good deeds. Jaina philosophy does not believe in "exhibiting Miracles" but in eradicating poverty or unhappiness of the people through different ways - service, preaching, knowledge, penance, donations in many ways, but not essentially by miracles. The real miracle is Peace - One has to realize his own Self and to make others realize the same thing, through compassion, non-violence, truth, peace, tranquility. When one practices himself and tries his utmost for the society, the society can also practice the same. Then there is a greater "Prana" of social consciousness.