Dr. Ravindra Kumar
In spite of vital role played by the Vedic-Hindu view of life in the making and developing of the Indian Way, the contribution of others towards its strengthening and welfare cannot be minimized. Also cent percent credit of strengthening the Indian Way from time-to-time cannot be given only to the Vedic-Hindu view of life. Any such attempt will be inappropriate; it will not justifiable. Moreover, such an attempt will penetrate the wide scope of the Indian Way itself. Along with this, it will be an act of indifference from the fundamental spirit of Ahimsa, which is an eternal, greatest and natural value, which calls upon self-realization, and which fills the Indian Way with features like unity and equality.
After Vedic-Hindu view of life the name of Jain philosophy can be mentioned foremostly in context of making the Indian Way firm. The Jain Tirthankaras from time-to-time contributed towards strengthening it. Doesn´t matter if the religious community, known as the Jain today, has no faith in Godlike Supreme Power or Jain philosophy does not make God the basis of human-unity and equality, but the approach through which Jain Tirthankaras, in spite of its limited number of followers, parallel to Vedic-Hindu view of life made Ahimsa the only basis of all human-activities that doubtlessly gave strength to India´s Way in which universal acceptance is nucleus. Doesn´t matter if Jain philosophy connected Ahimsa to tough self-restraint and self-control which would not be possible for commonmen to follow, but the role played by Tirthankaras and Saints of this religious-community in spreading and propagating this eternal, natural and greatest human value is an indivisible and permanent part of open chapters of the Indian Way.
The tradition of Jain philosophy and Tirthankaras is very old. I am particularly of the view that Jain Philosophy is Sanatana. Proofs of existence of Tirthankara Rishabhdev have been found in digging work of sites of the Indus Valley Civilization. Not only was this, as per the mention in the Jain treatises, Rishabhdev, the first Tirthankara, was the son of Nabhi and Marudevi, the king and queen of Ayodhya. In the Rig-Veda itself he has been mentioned as one of the Avataras-incarnations. In treatises of Hindus and Jains both it has also been mentioned that Rishabhdev was from the Ikshavaku family line. Particularly Jain treatises describe that Hindustan [India] was known as Bharatha due to Bharat, the eldest son of Rishabhdev and who was a great king. Undoubtedly, the Jain tradition is quite old. Like Hinduism history of Jainism is ancient. Thus, from ancient times, and particularly from the time of Tirthankara Rishabhdev, Jainism has contributed greatly towards strengthening and developing the Indian Way.
Contribution of the First Tirthankara
The contribution of the first Jain Tirthankara Rishabhdev in strengthening the Indian Way can be apparent on four aspects. And the first among them is that being a great and wise cultivator he trained Indians in systematic agricultural work. He called upon people to domesticate animals on larger scale along with agriculture; he inspired Indians for it. Both these practices could grant dimensions to Ahimsa and thus strengthened the Indian Way.
Bringing the society in the range of simplicity was Rishabhdev´s second major contribution. He made great efforts of bringing commonmen out of the domain of hard rules. He inspired people to lead life on the basis of simple and adaptable laws. In spite of connecting Ahimsa with self-retrain and self-control, he called upon people to make love and friendliness the basis of their social conducts, which confirmed his commitment towards simplicity and adaptable rules for commonmen. In this regards it has been mentioned in the Trilokakshara:
"Dhammo Vadiyamoolo Vanimmiyio Adybihamen"
Meaning thereby, "Rishabh, the first Tirthankara, laid the foundation of the simple dharma. That dharma was based upon love and friendliness."
The third and ever memorable contribution of Rishabhdev towards the Indian Way had been in his work and teachings of developing the art of cottage industries and that too according to demand of time and space. In this connection too he trained the people. It has been mentioned in the Vrihat Swayambhu Istrota:
"Prajapatriyah Prathamam Jajivishiyuh Shashasa Krishyadasiyu Karamasu Prajah"
His fourth contribution had been in his exemplary teachings of realistic honesty particularly for those who were involved in business for their livelihood.
All the above four contributions of Rishabhdev, in spite of being extraordinary in his on time, are worth giving a thought until today. Tirthankara Rishabhdev is ideal for those who think about the Indian Way, who are concerned of making this way firm and broad in prevailing conditions of India and the whole world. Doubtlessly, in this regard, Rishabhdev goes beyond the limits set by any particular religious-community.
Chain of Tirthankaras
After Rishabhdev, the first Tirthankara, his great tradition was spread and propagated among the masses by other twenty-one Tirthankaras in prevailing circumstances of their respective times. Among those eighteen Tirthankaras-Ajitnath, Sambhavnath, Abhinandannath, Sumatinath, Padamprabhu [or Padamprabh], Suparshvanath, Chandraprabhu [or Chandraprabh], Pushpadant, Shitalnath, Shreyansnath, Vasupujya, Vimalnath, Anantnath, Dharmanath, Shantinath, Kunthunath and Arhanath came from the Ikshavaku family line. They made the people realize the importance of Ahimsa and tried their level best to bring day-to-day activities of all general and particular within its domain. They were great initiator of Ahimsa in their respective eras.
Mallinath, the child of Queen Prabhavati and Ikshavaku Vanshiya King Kumbha of Ayodhya, who according to the Digambar sect of Jain-community was masculine in gender and according to the Shwetambar sect a feminine, rose to the stature of the Nineteenth Jain Tirthankara. Like earlier Tirthankaras Mallinath too accomplished the great task of spreading Ahimsa and conveyed the reality of this supreme value for the welfare of all.
Suvratnath and Naninath were twentieth and twenty-first Jain Tirthankaras and both of them also came from the Ikshavaku family line, while Neminath, the twenty-second Tirthankara, came from the Hari Vansha. They successfully went forward in giving dimensions one after the other to Jain philosophy in their respective eras. They became source of inspiration for many to come to the fold of Jainism and make Ahimsa the basis of their chores.
Tirthankara Parshvanath
Parshvanath [872-772 B. C.], the son of King Ashvasen and Queen Vama of Varanasi, who rose to the stature of the Twenty-Third Jain Tirthankara, became most popular in the chain of Tirthankaras after Rishabhdev. He was the predecessor of Vardhamana Mahavira, the last and the Twenty-Forth Tirthankara. The most valuable contribution of Parshvanath to the Indian philosophy and spiritualism was the foundation of the Chaturyama, a fourfold Shramanika system by him. And the solidarity which Parshvanath gave through this contribution to the Indian Way was not the less than any of the Vedic Rishis.
When during the Upanishadic era under the Vedic system Ahimsa was being purified as the supreme human value, and altogether it was being mentioned particularly in the Shandiloyopnishad and Chandogyopnishad, at that very time Parshvanath, with the purpose of making it foremost in theory and practice both, and to accord it the supreme place in prevailing circumstances, made it first in the Chaturyama. Through this he ratified India´s commitment to human equality and unity. Thus, he himself proved to be the best representative of the Indian Way of his time.
Chaturyama is made of those four principles on the basis of which Parshvanath established the Shramanika System. Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya and Aparigraha are included in it. Doubtlessly, by following this system, particularly its principles of true conduct, non-stealing and Aparigraha, the level of ethics and morality increases to a large extent. Both-ethics and morality-are necessary for the development of Ahimsa. They are the means of realizing it. Therefore, through his Chaturyama system, which is made of Satya, Asteya and Aparigraha along with Ahimsa, Tirthankara Parshvanath gave an extension to the Indian Way; he made it concrete.
Vardhamana Mahavira
Vardhamana Mahavira, who rose to the stature of the Twenty-Fourth Jain Tirthankara, was the son of Kashyapgotriya King Siddhartha and Queen Trishla of Kundagram near Vaishali in present Bihar. It was Mahavira who not only had brought forward the Jain tradition established by Rishabhdev but gave to it the best, unprecedented, unique and historical dimension in theory and practice, which could be known and understood by his own lifelong practices. In his own life Mahavira was on the peak of Ahimsa. I am of the view that he was unique in fostering Ahimsa. Until today he holds unique position in this regard. I am not acquainted of any such other who experienced and practiced Ahimsa to the extent as Mahavira did. Also I am not sure whether someone else will become equal to him in this context. Indians can take pride of having such a unique and matchless initiator of Ahimsa like Mahavira who born on their motherland.
Mahavira added Brahmacharya [Celibacy] to the Chaturyama system established by the Twenty-Third Tirthankara Parshvanath. Thus, he based it on five principles-Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya and Aparigraha. The purpose behind adding this new principle in the Chaturyama system was to make human conduct morally sound. In fact, celibacy is one of the best means of self-control and self-restrain. It contributes towards maintaining mental and physical balance. Furthermore, it plays vital role in developing constructive approach in man. Therefore, it promotes activities related to Ahimsa.
Being a great guide, elucidator and defender, Mahavira took the Indian Way to heights. The Ratna-traya system established by him is one of the living examples of it. Through the Ratna-traya System-Samyak Darshan, Samyak Jnana and Samyak Charitra-he inspired the people to go forward to attain the highest stage of humanity.
Being a great initiator of Ahimsa and elucidator of the Indian Way, Mahavira tried to make all, general or particular, realize that unity in diversity was a reality. He declared Ahimsa to be the soul force, and through its constant development he emphasized upon realizing harmony, which prevailed not only among human beings, but also between a dangerous and a weak or feeble animal. He talked of drinking water by a lion and a buffalo on the same landing-place.
In the scope of Mahavira´s harmony and human-unity all general and particular, woman and man, rich and poor were, and are, equal. All were, and are, eligible of equal progress. All can attain the highest-Moksha. In the entire history of Jain tradition, Mahavira set record of inspiring lacs of men and women to follow Jainism by making Ahimsa nucleus in their day-to-day practices. He wished all to break their bonds and to reach the level of a Tirthankara. In this regard he surpassed all his predecessors.
To understand the reality of the [exiting or materialistic] world, Mahavira proposed a great philosophy of Anekantvad [non-absolutism]. He also presented another philosophy of Syadvad, which was based upon seven possibilities, before the world. These philosophies gave strength to the Indian philosophy on the one hand and on the other they fostered India´s way of life. Moreover, by repeating the principle of possibility of harmony among all creatures he made the aspect of universal acceptance of the Indian Way strong in theory, and by his own pure and true activities in practice.
Showing posts with label jainway. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jainway. Show all posts
Monday
Jina Shah, a Jain living in San Francisco, talks about the challenges of treading lightly on our Earth
David Ian Miller, Special to SF Gate
Jainism, one of the oldest religions in India, stresses nonviolence in all aspects of life. Its followers, who tend to be vegetarian, believe that all living things are sacred. Even killing flies is considered immoral.
Some say that Jainism is an unorthodox sect of Hinduism, but others see it as a separate religion altogether. Although most Jains still live in India, there are growing communities in the United States, western Europe, Africa, the Far East and elsewhere.
It isn't an easy path, as Jina Shah, a 35-year-old doctor who moved to San Francisco a few months ago, is quick to admit. Shah, whose parents are from India, was born in Chicago and raised in this country. Over the years, she's wrestled with how to live out her ancient Jain values in the modern world, where few share her philosophy of life. Her religious upbringing continues to influence most of her decisions, from the work she does to the kind of man she plans to marry.
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What was it like growing up as a Jain?
Being different can be hard when you're a kid -- I felt that way both as a Jain and as an Indian American. The fact that we were vegetarians was the most obvious difference. It was something you had to make people understand, and it became harder as I got older and more strict about vegetarianism.
How were you more strict?
Initially, I ate eggs if they were part of a recipe in food. But then I began to think, "If I'm not eating eggs in omelets, then why am I eating eggs in cakes?" I remember my best friend in grade school wanted to give me a surprise birthday, and she got a cake for me. I think I ate the cake anyway, but I was really uncomfortable about it.
It's funny, because I went with this same friend to Bible school. My mom was quite open to learning about other religions. So she let me go.
You went to a Christian Bible school?
Yeah, and I remember at one point some of the women from the church came to our house and tried to convert my mother. They had long conversations in my living room, and in the end my mom just said, "Well, we don't exactly have that same belief. I think we'll have to agree to disagree."
My mother was probably the strongest influence on me in terms of learning about religion. We had a room set aside as a sort of temple area, and I would spend time in there reading books [about Jainism] while she was praying or doing other rituals. I think that's how, for me, the whole value system and philosophy became internalized. I thought about the things I read and then started incorporating what made sense to me into the way that I lived.
One of the basic tenets of Jainism is the idea that you treat all living things as sacred. What does that mean to you?
Every living being has a soul. Every spirit is equally worthy of our respect and care, and so a central ethical principle is not harming things. Traditionally, it's been narrowly practiced in terms of being vegetarian, avoiding the killing of even small insects in the home and other practices around food and consumption.
How do you decide what's OK to eat when pretty much everything you would want to consume was alive at some point?
It's challenging. I became a vegan about 15 years ago because I felt that simply being a vegetarian wasn't enough. I made that decision after attending a conference at a Jain ashram when I was in college. There was a group there from the New Jersey Animal Rights Alliance, and I learned about the way cows are treated, about factory farming and the dairy industry.
The reason Jains don't eat meat is because we try to avoid killing anything more than what's necessary for our food, and the reason that traditionally Jains do eat dairy is that you didn't have to kill the cows. But the way that it works in modern factory farming is that the lactating cows, once they cannot give milk anymore, are killed and used for hamburger meat. Their baby male calves, which can never be dairy cows, are raised for veal. It took a little while to actually become vegan after realizing that, but that's why I did it. To me, there is a kind of obvious line about not wanting to be part of killing any animals.
The idea of not harming living things obviously extends beyond what you eat. What are some other ways you follow this creed in your life?
I own a car, but I try to use public transportation as much as I can. Fortunately, I live in San Francisco and work in the East Bay, so I can get by without using my car to commute. Right now, I live in a smallish apartment in a big complex. That may change in the future, but I think where you live is an important aspect of treading lightly in the world.
What about limiting your possessions? As I understand it, that's a core principle of Jainism, although it's not exactly the American way.
A lot of Jains in the U.S. have trouble with that one, myself included. I recently moved from a two-bedroom, one-bath condo in Georgia to this one-bedroom apartment, and so it's really in my face now. I've been going through boxes of stuff, and I'm thinking, "Do I really need these notes and books from a long time ago? I have this closet full of clothes. Why do I really need all of this stuff, and what can I get rid of?"
If you were to take your philosophy of doing no harm to its fullest extent, wouldn't that mean separating yourself from society? Why not just live in a monastery?
In fact, there are two distinct paths in Jainism, and one of them is the way of the monk or nun. Those are the true Jains, actually. They're the ones who have no possessions, except maybe what they're wearing and a bowl for food. They eat whatever excess food there is in a household, and they walk from place to place [to receive their offerings].
Then there is the householder's path, which is what I'm following. It's a step in the right direction, but it's not the fast track to enlightenment.
Do you ever think about taking the other track?
It would be hard for me to give up everything and be part of that community of ascetics. However, I used to spend a lot of time with the nuns when I was a kid. Their lives were so peaceful, and they lived so simply -- it was very appealing. I just don't think I could live that way now. Maybe I could in another life, but not this one.
Since you brought that up, what are your thoughts on reincarnation?
Well, if you believe in karma, if you believe in a soul, which I do, then you sort of have to believe in reincarnation. It makes sense to me that what you do has repercussions that come back to you. You see lots of bad people that seem to have lots of good things in their lives and plenty of good people that seem to be suffering, but I think it evens out over time. Maybe not in one lifetime, but eventually.
You're a single woman. Are you planning to get married, and if you do, will you be marrying a Jain?
I'm currently in a relationship with someone who is broad-minded enough that he showed up at a Jain conference, but he is not exactly Jain. He is Hindu, but he considers Jains to be Hindu in the very broadest sense.
So that's not a problem to be dating someone who is not a Jain?
I think we share the same values, and to me that's really what's important. He understands enough about Jainism, and practically he joins me in a lot of the things that matter. When we go out to eat, he will eat vegan with me -- even though he might not be vegan all the time. He also values treading lightly on the Earth. That's the way that he lives.
I want to ask you about your work. You're doing research on a vaccine to prevent meningitis. How do you feel about testing such a vaccine on animals? That is part of the process, right?
I couldn't directly do animal research. However, in order to get a vaccine or a drug approved, according to the FDA it has to have undergone animal trials. This is one of the hardest places for me to draw the line. I don't like animal research, but it's a requirement.
How do you respond to animal rights advocates who might accuse you of indirectly supporting animal testing by doing the work you do?
In a way, they are right. I'm part of this process. However, that logic only works if you think that animal testing has to be part of developing a product. I don't think it does. There's a group called Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, which argues that some of the advances we see coming out of modern medicine could have happened in other ways [without animal testing]. So we don't necessarily have to reject those products outright.
If the FDA did not require animal testing for the vaccine that I'm working on, we could have developed it using, for example, molecular genetics and recombinant technology, testing on cell culture, or using other nonanimal methods, and then testing directly on humans. So it's not an all-or-nothing involvement.
I'd also like to point out that the aim of the work I'm doing is to prevent death from a disease that affects a lot of people, especially children in sub-Saharan Africa. Making a positive difference in this way is supported by my values.
Being a Jain sounds complicated. Is that ever frustrating for you?
I think there are so many conflicting values to living a spiritual life, however you define that. It's challenging to figure out how to integrate that in the modern world. That said, we believe in this idea of karma, so your intention does matter. You aren't absolved of accountability or responsibility, but at a certain point things are outside of your control. I think you just have to say, "Look, I did my best, and what happens, happens."
Jainism, one of the oldest religions in India, stresses nonviolence in all aspects of life. Its followers, who tend to be vegetarian, believe that all living things are sacred. Even killing flies is considered immoral.
Some say that Jainism is an unorthodox sect of Hinduism, but others see it as a separate religion altogether. Although most Jains still live in India, there are growing communities in the United States, western Europe, Africa, the Far East and elsewhere.
It isn't an easy path, as Jina Shah, a 35-year-old doctor who moved to San Francisco a few months ago, is quick to admit. Shah, whose parents are from India, was born in Chicago and raised in this country. Over the years, she's wrestled with how to live out her ancient Jain values in the modern world, where few share her philosophy of life. Her religious upbringing continues to influence most of her decisions, from the work she does to the kind of man she plans to marry.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What was it like growing up as a Jain?
Being different can be hard when you're a kid -- I felt that way both as a Jain and as an Indian American. The fact that we were vegetarians was the most obvious difference. It was something you had to make people understand, and it became harder as I got older and more strict about vegetarianism.
How were you more strict?
Initially, I ate eggs if they were part of a recipe in food. But then I began to think, "If I'm not eating eggs in omelets, then why am I eating eggs in cakes?" I remember my best friend in grade school wanted to give me a surprise birthday, and she got a cake for me. I think I ate the cake anyway, but I was really uncomfortable about it.
It's funny, because I went with this same friend to Bible school. My mom was quite open to learning about other religions. So she let me go.
You went to a Christian Bible school?
Yeah, and I remember at one point some of the women from the church came to our house and tried to convert my mother. They had long conversations in my living room, and in the end my mom just said, "Well, we don't exactly have that same belief. I think we'll have to agree to disagree."
My mother was probably the strongest influence on me in terms of learning about religion. We had a room set aside as a sort of temple area, and I would spend time in there reading books [about Jainism] while she was praying or doing other rituals. I think that's how, for me, the whole value system and philosophy became internalized. I thought about the things I read and then started incorporating what made sense to me into the way that I lived.
One of the basic tenets of Jainism is the idea that you treat all living things as sacred. What does that mean to you?
Every living being has a soul. Every spirit is equally worthy of our respect and care, and so a central ethical principle is not harming things. Traditionally, it's been narrowly practiced in terms of being vegetarian, avoiding the killing of even small insects in the home and other practices around food and consumption.
How do you decide what's OK to eat when pretty much everything you would want to consume was alive at some point?
It's challenging. I became a vegan about 15 years ago because I felt that simply being a vegetarian wasn't enough. I made that decision after attending a conference at a Jain ashram when I was in college. There was a group there from the New Jersey Animal Rights Alliance, and I learned about the way cows are treated, about factory farming and the dairy industry.
The reason Jains don't eat meat is because we try to avoid killing anything more than what's necessary for our food, and the reason that traditionally Jains do eat dairy is that you didn't have to kill the cows. But the way that it works in modern factory farming is that the lactating cows, once they cannot give milk anymore, are killed and used for hamburger meat. Their baby male calves, which can never be dairy cows, are raised for veal. It took a little while to actually become vegan after realizing that, but that's why I did it. To me, there is a kind of obvious line about not wanting to be part of killing any animals.
The idea of not harming living things obviously extends beyond what you eat. What are some other ways you follow this creed in your life?
I own a car, but I try to use public transportation as much as I can. Fortunately, I live in San Francisco and work in the East Bay, so I can get by without using my car to commute. Right now, I live in a smallish apartment in a big complex. That may change in the future, but I think where you live is an important aspect of treading lightly in the world.
What about limiting your possessions? As I understand it, that's a core principle of Jainism, although it's not exactly the American way.
A lot of Jains in the U.S. have trouble with that one, myself included. I recently moved from a two-bedroom, one-bath condo in Georgia to this one-bedroom apartment, and so it's really in my face now. I've been going through boxes of stuff, and I'm thinking, "Do I really need these notes and books from a long time ago? I have this closet full of clothes. Why do I really need all of this stuff, and what can I get rid of?"
If you were to take your philosophy of doing no harm to its fullest extent, wouldn't that mean separating yourself from society? Why not just live in a monastery?
In fact, there are two distinct paths in Jainism, and one of them is the way of the monk or nun. Those are the true Jains, actually. They're the ones who have no possessions, except maybe what they're wearing and a bowl for food. They eat whatever excess food there is in a household, and they walk from place to place [to receive their offerings].
Then there is the householder's path, which is what I'm following. It's a step in the right direction, but it's not the fast track to enlightenment.
Do you ever think about taking the other track?
It would be hard for me to give up everything and be part of that community of ascetics. However, I used to spend a lot of time with the nuns when I was a kid. Their lives were so peaceful, and they lived so simply -- it was very appealing. I just don't think I could live that way now. Maybe I could in another life, but not this one.
Since you brought that up, what are your thoughts on reincarnation?
Well, if you believe in karma, if you believe in a soul, which I do, then you sort of have to believe in reincarnation. It makes sense to me that what you do has repercussions that come back to you. You see lots of bad people that seem to have lots of good things in their lives and plenty of good people that seem to be suffering, but I think it evens out over time. Maybe not in one lifetime, but eventually.
You're a single woman. Are you planning to get married, and if you do, will you be marrying a Jain?
I'm currently in a relationship with someone who is broad-minded enough that he showed up at a Jain conference, but he is not exactly Jain. He is Hindu, but he considers Jains to be Hindu in the very broadest sense.
So that's not a problem to be dating someone who is not a Jain?
I think we share the same values, and to me that's really what's important. He understands enough about Jainism, and practically he joins me in a lot of the things that matter. When we go out to eat, he will eat vegan with me -- even though he might not be vegan all the time. He also values treading lightly on the Earth. That's the way that he lives.
I want to ask you about your work. You're doing research on a vaccine to prevent meningitis. How do you feel about testing such a vaccine on animals? That is part of the process, right?
I couldn't directly do animal research. However, in order to get a vaccine or a drug approved, according to the FDA it has to have undergone animal trials. This is one of the hardest places for me to draw the line. I don't like animal research, but it's a requirement.
How do you respond to animal rights advocates who might accuse you of indirectly supporting animal testing by doing the work you do?
In a way, they are right. I'm part of this process. However, that logic only works if you think that animal testing has to be part of developing a product. I don't think it does. There's a group called Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, which argues that some of the advances we see coming out of modern medicine could have happened in other ways [without animal testing]. So we don't necessarily have to reject those products outright.
If the FDA did not require animal testing for the vaccine that I'm working on, we could have developed it using, for example, molecular genetics and recombinant technology, testing on cell culture, or using other nonanimal methods, and then testing directly on humans. So it's not an all-or-nothing involvement.
I'd also like to point out that the aim of the work I'm doing is to prevent death from a disease that affects a lot of people, especially children in sub-Saharan Africa. Making a positive difference in this way is supported by my values.
Being a Jain sounds complicated. Is that ever frustrating for you?
I think there are so many conflicting values to living a spiritual life, however you define that. It's challenging to figure out how to integrate that in the modern world. That said, we believe in this idea of karma, so your intention does matter. You aren't absolved of accountability or responsibility, but at a certain point things are outside of your control. I think you just have to say, "Look, I did my best, and what happens, happens."
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