Jiva Relatedness and Relationships

Author(s): Nina Mehta
Publisher: Nina Mehta

Page 5

ChitrabhanuandPramoda, Chitrabhanu'swife, encourageglobalanimalandenvironmental rightsties, encouragi
ngcompassionateactionasawaytodirectone'sownenergy.
Pramoda,inparticularworkswithinactivismnetworks, espousingasenseoflivingandbeingintheworldthat,asam ultiplypracticedandexperiencedreligionandphilosophy,isJain.
Pramodastudies Sanskrit,vegannutrition, andmusic, leadingthemeditationgroupmantras.
HermaininterestisapplyingJainteachingstodailylife.
Alistofherpublicandactivistengagementdoesn'tquite explainthescopeofhercareforothers,orwhatthisgenerate s,buttomentionsomeofherwork:sheispresidentoftheJain InternationalMeditation Centerin Mumbai,andsince2 000hasbeenontheBoard of DirectorsforPETAinIndia.
SheworksfortheReverenceforLifeSocietyandBeautyWithout Cruelty, whichpromotesanimalwelfare.
Shetellsmethatshesponsorsprojectsineducationandisparticularlyfocusedonwomen'sissues,
encouragingwo
mento"emergefromthesmallselfandseetheirpotential. "Shealsogives classesinmeditationandJain Dharma,ex posingWesternstudentstotheidealsandconceptsof Jainteachings.
Articulatedinanemail, Pramodaexplains:"actively practicingahinsaandhelpingtheanimalsiswhatMahavirtaug
htandhereourtruecompassionismanifested. Non
interferenceisappliedforthosewhohaverenouncedtheworld.
Soaccordingtomeitisbettertoconnectwiththeanimals.
Butbeingawarethatindoingsowedonotuseanymeansthatinvolvesviolence.
Likefood."Inherarticleaboutthedairyindustry, "Milk:AtWhatCost? "shetellsconsumersthat"thecapabilityiswithi n,toprotestabusethroughconsumerbehavior, thuschangingthewaythatcowsaretreated."ForPramoda,andma
nywhoconsiderthemselvesJain, knowledgeofthetreatmentofotherlivingbeingscanhelpform Jainethicalrelatio nships, andethicalbeing.
Intimacies:OntologicalConnections
Thebeliefthateverysoulstrappedinandbyworldlybondageinspirescompassionandnonviolence,forthesakeofthesoulsofothersandforone'sownsoul,eachstuckincyclesofbirthandrebirth, untilliberati
on. InJainthought, allliving beingsareco
creatorsoftheworld, entangledineachothers'being, andprocessesofbecoming. Thiskindofinter
beingconnectionblursthelinesbetweenselfandother,openingspacesfordifferentkindsofintimacies, connection
sshiftingrelationsawayfromahumancenter.
[7]Thisconceptiondoesnotpropagateoneness, ratherassemblagesthatareactiveandparticipatory.
InBestiality,philosopherAlphonsolingistalksaboutbeingsascomposites, formedofsymbioticcooperativeunits.
Within Jaincosmology, thereisafundamentalconnectivityandcollectivity, anontologicalblurringcomprisedofdiff erentdeepaffinities, mediatedbyaction.
Lingisasks, "howdoseaanemones, blindwithoutsenseorgans, knowitistimetomove?" Itisthroughsymbiosis,livin
gwithothersthatwemove,feel, know(Lingis,25).
ForLingis, multiplyinteractingorganismscompose,connectandcompriseus: "Ourmovementsarenotspontaneo usinitiativeslaunchedagainstmassesofinertia;wemoveinanenvironmentofaircurrants, rustlingtrees, andintima
tebodies.
Ourmovementsarestirredbythecoursingofourblood, thepulseofthewind, thereedyrhythmsofthecicadasinthea utumntrees, thewhirofpassingcars, theboundingofsquirrels, andthetense, poised pauseofdeer. Thespeeds, slowness, andturnsofourmovements comefrommovementswemeetaboutus" (Lingis,29).
InJainphilosophy,wealsoexistonlyinrelationtoothers,movingamongotherswhocomposeus.justasweformoth
ersthroughouractions.
Oursoulsexistalways,butourformsareconstantlytransforming,enmeshedindynamic, interactivity, intra-action. Our pudgala,orkarmicdirt, thatcarriesusfromandtowardsnewlifeforms, illuminatestheimpermanence, andfluxo fbeing.
Energyforceispermanent, butourlivesaredurations, manifestationsofanongoingflowthatisnotours, althoughwe existwithin,andaspart, andeven contributetoitscreation.
Weexistaspartofaprocess, sometimescrossing,changing,overlappingasdog,human,rain,yetstillexisting,whol e,inrelationtoothers.