Jainism Abroad

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

Page 22

A Listener: Speaking about religion gives me a feeling that they believe that "Whatever is going to come is going to come and whatever is going to be is going to be". That means man should do nothing to change it. When you point down it is food, it is hunger and it is just like giving fish to a boy. You would be better off if you threw him out a fish he can eat all the time, and there is no point giving the money over there. What they got to do is work hard and take care of themselves. Why restrain themselves to such a point that they have to die? They are dying every day. Why should they retrain themselves to die?
Dr J. J. Salagia: They are not trying to restrain themselves in order to die. What they are trying to do is to get selfrealization. In order to realize something spiritually, they try doing it, so they can reach a higher consciousness. Nobody can reach higher consciousness without practicing it.
Listener No. I: Isn't it primarily the food scarcity? There are twice as many people in India as in United States. There are 400 million there, we have 200 million here.
Dr. T.J. Salagia: Let me correct you, there are 700 million people over there.
Listener: All right, they should learn how to use the means. There's an old saying in Christianity: "God helps those who helps themselves".
Dr. T. J. Salagia: That's correct, but this country (U.S.A.) has been blessed.
Listener: It hasn't been blessed. It is because the people made it and India could do the same thing. It would be wrong to give you money. But if we gave you the know-how, how to raise crops etc., that is something that should be done.
Dr. T. J. Salagia: Well, United States is giving a lot of technological know-how to India and India is, as far as food is concerned, self-sufficient.
Listeners: There's been democracy for 40 years and you haven't even solved the food problem.
Dr. T.J. Salagia: No, I have to correct this in this last 5-6 years, India have attained self-sufficiency in food problem.
Prof. Pratapkmar J. Toliya: Some of the items are being exported from India. So this is a wrong impression. It is improving a lot. Lot of Agricultural experiments and production are taking place. So that is not the FACT at PRESENT.
Listeners: Do you mean to tell, no people are starving over there?
Dr. T. J. Salagia: (Retorting back) I'm sure, people are starving here (in U.S.A.) too! We call ourselves a "Capitalistic Society". People are starving right here in the Backyard of Cleveland. So don't tell me.
Prof. Pratapkumar J. Toliya: It is so everywhere.
Listener 1: At least, when people have 2 hands and 2 feet and are capable and young, they should do things for themselves.
Dr. T. J. Salagia: I agree with you 100% but look here, ours is something like a welfare society.
Listeners: Well, we want to show you how to develop the country, and have money for putting a man to work, so we have wages.
Prof. Pratpkumar J. Toliya: India is developing.