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Topic 3: The Reality of Business Meets the Ideals of Jainism
Topic 5: Accountability for Your Generation
How can we relate our religion to the practicality of the business world and is there a disconnect between Jain ideals and what appears to be the cold hard reality of the business world? Do Jains have to make religious and spiritual sacrifices in order to be successful at business? As a Jain, are you willing to hold onto your beliefs regardless of the business consequences? As a Jain, do you believe that you can be every bit as successful as a non-Jain? Why or why not? How can we find ways to align our private spiritual selves to our more public business life? Most of us, at one time or another, have probably found ourselves confronting the gap between the ideals of our religion and the reality of the business world.
We are the first generation raised in this country. The obstacles we face, the goals we set, and the odds we will overcome to succeed will be the building blocks and stepping stones for generations to come. In this way, we are accountable for the here and now - our present lives and many feel that we are also accountable for what we leave behind for the generations to come. Therefore we must decide what is important to us. Do we continue what our parents have taught us? Do we educate our peers about our culture? As a Jain community, shall we only be involved with the community that supports Jain ethics or will we also build alliances with the broader American culture as well as the political process? Should we avoid communities that don't support Jain ethics, both overtly as well as covertly? Of course, there is no one magic solution, and we should not expect one given that we are really the first generation en mass to deal with this issue. So let's hear what our peers have to say in this interactive 'REAL WORLD' session and share our own thought: as well.
In India, Jains have always been among the most successful and trusted business people - this despite the virtual absence of capitalism' as we know it today, for almost all of India's history - So what can we, in the twenty-first century, learn from that example?
In this 'Real World' session we will discuss (1) whether the aforementioned gap is there, why, and how large we feel it is; (2) what we can do about it; and (3) how we can find ways to succeed in business without sacrificing our beliefs.
Topic 4: Jainism: Are You Ready to Take the Next Step?
Many of us have had the benefit of understanding the philosophy of Jainism in a way that is different from how our parents may have gained exposure to it in India. For example, they may have been forced to do darshan, puja, and participate in other rituals without having a philosophical understanding of what Jainism is.
Have you ever felt that you understand the principles of Jainism and believe in its teachings, and that you are ready to move beyond the basics? Do you want more than pujas, Jain Samaj picnics, bhajans, and svadhyayas in your life? Do you feel awkward participating in these activities? Are you beyond needing to be convinced that this religion is logical and worth paying attention to? Do you want to take the next step, but are unsure of what that even means?
Many of us feel ready and willing to take the next step, to bridge the gap between the jewels of Jainism: Right Knowledge and Right Faith on one hand, and the third jewel, Right Action. But a key thing seems to be missing. Is the secret ingredient that we really are just not ready, is it that we become lazy, or is it that we are not really as far along as we thought? Taking the next step is not so simple, and chances are there are quite a few of us that feel this way. In this 'Real World' session, you will have the opportunity to meet people just like yourself and discuss the different issues in the path of taking the next step.
Jain Education International
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