"Jainism recognizes that we alone are responsible for our destiny..."
"Ahinsa is found to a certain extent in most religious traditions, but only
in Jainism is it given paramount importance..."
"Everything in Jainism ties into the idea that we are independent beings that
are responsible for our own destiny through our thoughts and actions..."
"The Jain code of conduct is based on nonviolence totally, because this is
the only way to begin on the path to liberation..."
"Some think that Jainism is not practical in this society or in modern times.
I believe that now Jainism is more crucial than ever....Violence surrounds us
and threatens to destroy our spirit....Following Ahinsa in daily life is an
inspiration to those who still engage in all forms of violence. We can
eliminate so much of the violence in the world by being truly nonviolent...."
--
Almost everyone has experienced a moment of incredible clarity and insight
wherein everything makes sense and seems to fall into place. Usually, these
moments are instantaneous and go as quickly as they come. I experienced such
a moment of great clarity and tremendous insight the first time I encountered
Jain philosophy. The difference was that this clarity and insight have
continued to be a part of my life as I have learned more about Jainism.
I was raised in a Catholic family. We were never particularly religious. I
did go through the motions of the Catholic Sacraments, but my heart was not
really in it. Part of me always felt that Catholicism was not spiritually
fulfilling. I really didn't look into other faiths right away, but I
gradually withdrew from attending Mass and church functions.
At the age of 18, I was in my senior year of high school and I became friends
with an Existentialist. He really opened my eyes though our conclusions were
somewhat different. He would ask me these really thought-provoking
questions. I would answer them. He would then question my answer. And I
would answer his question. Of course, he would question this answer. I
would get so frustrated thinking that nothing was able to be answered in
absolute terms. My friend would always find a question. My mind had always
been very logical, and this sent me searching for answers that were not so
easily reduced. Simultaneously, I had a spiritual void that also needed to
be filled.
My search led me to look at some different religious traditions. For me, the
most fascinating, devotional, and logical were the Indian religions. At that
time I had no idea that what I liked about the Indian religions were all
contributions of Jainism. I began considering notions of karma and
reincarnation, non-violence, and respect for all living beings. I thought
about vegetarianism and began to feel a sense of guilt about eating meat.
Everything seemed to be pointing me in the direction of Ahinsa, and finally
one day I knew I could no longer eat an animal and so I stopped. In my first
year of vegetarianism, I learned as much as I could about vegetarian
principles. I started to realize the cruelty to animals in all animal
products and promptly made a move from ovo-lacto vegetarian to vegan. I quit
using eggs (which I had taken reluctantly anyway), dairy products, honey,
leather, wool, silk, etc. Also, I remember reading about Jainism in a book
about vegetarianism and feeling a strong attraction to Jain ideals. The
small blurb made me hungry to learn more about this truly beautiful spiritual
path. It was from this time that I remember the feeling of insight and great
clarity.
I began reading everything I could find about Jainism. Unfortunately, there
was not much available. Most of what I did read was written by misinformed
westerners who viewed Jainism as some sort of offshoot brand of Hinduism.
There were great distortions about the origins, teachings, and practices of
Jainism. I did manage to get some accurate information from some fine Jain
organizations as well as get to know some Jains personally, so I began to
learn more. The more I learned, the more I started to realize that I had
been fortunate enough to have found the True Path. Not only did I find it
logically appealing, but intuitively I felt as if I were already aware of the
truths of Jainism but that they were harbored deep within me.
After studying Jain philosophy for a few years, I found that I wanted to
practice it more in daily life. I knew there were Jain rituals but did not
understand what they or their significance were exactly. I also had never
been to a Jain temple. Though I have always considered true practice more
important than ritual, I wanted to learn more. This was very difficult. I
found that many Jains whom I met were unfamiliar with the meaning behind the
rituals. I had the opportunity to stay with a nice Jain family in Houston.
They were very hospitable and also quite knowledgeable about different Jain
rituals. I went to the Jain Center in Houston and attended the YJA Southwest
Regional Conference in 1996. This made a tremendous difference in my
understanding by allowing me to see how others practiced Jainism.
I found that like any other path, there were many who were uncertain about
their faith. There was also confusion among younger people as to whether
Jain concepts were truly practical in this society at this time. I met many
who possessed incredible knowledge about Jainism but admitted their practice
was not always as it should be. I was amazed that there were a number of
non-vegetarians. I was disillusioned to find that Jainism was taken for
granted by many of those who had been born into it. How could the True Path
be ignored?
In thinking about it, I came to realize that I was dealing with a phenomenon
that happens in all religious traditions. It had happened to me; I had not
accepted my own religious upbringing and had questioned much of what my
elders told me was the "right" thing to do. If I had simply accepted it all,
I would have never been exposed to Jainism (or for that matter many other
interesting and beautiful philosophies). How else could one ever really know
if Jainism was the True Path? I began to realize that unless one had really
done some self-examination or already had a strong inner knowing, then there
would probably always be a level of doubt about this or any path. On top of
that, we live in a society where we are inundated with marketing that
encourages us to live our lives as the corporate giants see fit. At every
turn, there is a McDonald's or KFC fast food restaurant. Even schools
encourage us to eat and behave in ways that are contrary to the teachings of
Jainism. Following a code of Ahinsa may appear impossible when we are
strongly urged to do things that violate it and are surrounded by those who
contradict it constantly.
No wonder there was so much confusion among Jains living in North America. I
had felt the same confusion about Catholicism, though I had not had quite the
same struggle between the rules of Catholicism and the standards of society.
My confusion had led me into a search for true spirituality that resulted in
tremendous growth for me. I never returned to Catholicism but did come to
appreciate it more as a result of my quest. I was truly lucky because I had
examined other religions before coming to find Jainism; thus I was able to
see the essential differences and saw that Jainism had some characteristics
that were very unique. These unique characteristics made me realize that
Jainism was a path unlike any other. In my heart and mind, I knew that
Jainism was the True Path. I only had to look within to realize this. I
will explain some of what really had an impact on me.
Jainism recognizes that we alone are responsible for our destiny. This is
both frightening and liberating. It is frightening to those who have been
conditioned to believe that by worshipping the proper god in the proper
religion their ultimate goal will be achieved. These worshippers rely on an
external agent rather than on their own soul. It is also frightening to
those who engage in activities that violate the sanctity of the soul, because
they realize that they will have to experience the consequences of their
actions. It is liberating because we realize that we hold the key to the
ultimate goal. We can do it, and we have instructions on how to do it. No
one else can do it for us. Those who achieved the goal of liberation were
humans too. We can transform ourselves to be like they are, step by step.
No matter how many wrong actions we have committed in the past, we can begin
the path to self-realization from today. It is up to us. Help is around us
in the form of teachings and teachers, but only we can put forth the effort.
Responsibility can be our jailer or our liberator – WE decide.
Ahinsa is found to a certain extent in most religious traditions, but only in
Jainism is it given paramount importance. The Tirthankaras recognized that
all beings' souls are the same regardless of the body they inhabit.
Underneath the karmic matter is a pure soul whether one is a grasshopper or a
human being. Most of the time we confuse the body for the soul. But Jain
philosophy teaches us that soul is primary and all souls are important.
Simply because one soul inhabits the body of a chicken does not make that
soul less important. It is better to strive to help other souls and not hurt
them. Vegetarianism is a small but effective step that helps us to minimize
violence towards other beings. It is a great place to start, but Jain
philosophy teaches us that if we are to realize our souls we need to go
further. We need to purify our thoughts towards ourselves and others. We
need to realize that when we harm another, we harm ourselves. There are many
things we can do or refrain from doing that will truly help us and ultimately
help others through example.
Everything in Jainism ties into the idea that we are independent beings that
are responsible for our own destiny through our thoughts and actions. So we
can understand why it is important to be nonviolent. The Jain code of
conduct is based on nonviolence totally, because this is the only way to
begin on the path to liberation. For instance, why is it important to be
truthful? Through lies, we hurt others with our words and then we hurt
ourselves. Why should we not steal? Isn't stealing also a form of violence?
What about wrong thinking? What if we think we are better than others?
These are forms of violence in and of themselves, and they lead to greater
forms of violence in our actions. Anekantavada helps us to act nonviolently
towards others by allowing us to see things from a different perspective.
All religious paths give us rules, and most attribute them to a higher power.
Generally that is as far as they go. The teachings of Jainism don't just
give us empty rules to follow. We learn to see the consequences of our
actions. Then we see that there are legitimate reasons for following the
truths of Jainism. If we do so, the reward is the highest goal of Moksha.
In my heart, I knew from the beginning that Jainism was the True Path. Once
I realized that only Jainism was so thorough in providing us with a path to
liberation and ultimate happiness, I knew in my mind it was the True Path. I
still am inspired by other religions and study them to learn more about them.
They help me to be able to relate to others and gain additional viewpoints.
They enrich me, but I personally find that Jainism is so much deeper in all
respects.
Some think that Jainism is not practical in this society or in modern times.
I believe that now Jainism is more crucial than ever. We live in a society
that abounds in material and worldly temptations. It is very easy to ignore
our soul. But the more we ignore our soul, the more we suffer. Suffering
takes place on a grand scale. Violence surrounds us and threatens to destroy
our spirit. There are opportunities to become wealthy by ignoring our soul.
We pretend we don't notice, but we are souls. So how can we help but notice?
For me, Jainism is extremely practical. Jain meditation has had tremendous
power in my life. It has a cleansing quality that bathes my soul. It allows
me to see the potential God in all living beings. I find that I am able to
remove negative thoughts and emotions. I feel happier in my daily life. I
still have challenges, but I view them in a different light. I know when I
ignore my soul, I suffer. I have realized that when I neglect meditation or
somehow break any of the principles of Jainism, the consequences tend to show
themselves very quickly. It can be a struggle at times doing what we know is
right, but it is also very rewarding. In any case, Jainism allows us to
realize that everything is a choice. This is a very powerful idea that can
and will transform our lives if we remember and practice it.
Following Ahinsa in daily life is an inspiration to those who still engage in
all forms of violence. We can eliminate so much of the violence in the world
by being truly nonviolent. A little over fifty years ago, Gandhi showed the
world that nonviolence is stronger than violence. It is certainly more
difficult at times, but in the long run it prevails.
We can try to get happiness from the world, or we can look within for the
truth about happiness. The Jinas out of their compassion for all beings made
the path of true happiness clear for all. They let go of everything and
reached the state of keval-gyan. There was nothing for them to gain
personally by sharing their message. Yet they left their teachings for our
benefit. It is up to us to decide whether or not we will follow these
teachings. They are there for us. It is up to us individually whether or
not we will be liberated. We are fortunate in that we have available to us
the ingredients to a truly happy life and the means to experiencing the
qualities of the Perfect Soul.
