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An Ahimsa Crisis: You Decide AN AHIMSA CRISIS: YOU DECIDE An Ahimsa Crisis: You Decide 1 2Prakrit Bharati academy,An Ahimsa Crisis: Jai YouP Decideur Prakrit Bharati Pushpa - 356 AN AHIMSA CRISIS: YOU DECIDE Sulekh C. Jain An Ahimsa Crisis: You Decide 3 Publisher: * D.R. Mehta Founder & Chief Patron Prakrit Bharati Academy, 13-A, Main Malviya Nagar, Jaipur - 302017 Phone: 0141 - 2524827, 2520230 E-mail : [email protected] * First Edition 2016 * ISBN No. 978-93-81571-62-0 * © Author * Price : 700/- 10 $ * Computerisation: Prakrit Bharati Academy, Jaipur * Printed at: Sankhla Printers Vinayak Shikhar Shivbadi Road, Bikaner 334003 An Ahimsa Crisis: You Decide 4by Sulekh C. Jain An Ahimsa Crisis: You Decide Contents Dedication 11 Publishers Note 12 Preface 14 Acknowledgement 18 About the Author 19 Apologies 22 I am honored 23 Foreword by Glenn D. Paige 24 Foreword by Gary Francione 26 Foreword by Philip Clayton 37 Meanings of Some Hindi & Prakrit Words Used Here 42 Why this book? 45 An overview of ahimsa 54 Jainism: a living tradition 55 The connection between ahimsa and Jainism 58 What differentiates a Jain from a non-Jain? 60 Four stages of karmas 62 History of ahimsa 69 The basis of ahimsa in Jainism 73 The two types of ahimsa 76 The three ways to commit himsa 77 The classifications of himsa 80 The intensity, degrees, and level of inflow of karmas due 82 to himsa The broad landscape of himsa 86 The minimum Jain code of conduct 90 Traits of an ahimsak 90 The net benefits of observing ahimsa 91 Who am I? 91 Jain scriptures on ahimsa 91 Jain prayers and thoughts 93 A poem & other thoughts on ahimsa 94 References 98 An Ahimsa Crisis: You Decide 5 On items we put in our mouths 99 Kissa thali kaa 102 Himsa in what we eat 102 Is ahimsa limited to the thali in the Jain community? 103 Should Jains use dairy products? 105 Past cultural practices & traditions about the use of dairy 105 products The current situation 106 What is the source of Vitamin D in milk? 108 The fate of cow’s children: cry of the calf - are we 109 listening? Is milk necssary for the human body? 112 Debate about the use of milk & dairy products in the 113 Jain community - my personal appeal Jainism and veganism: ahimsa in the modern world 116 Emerging trends: Veganism in America 118 Other food items to avoid completely 121 The use of eggs in food & food products 121 What is the fate of male chicks? 124 What are the effects of eating eggs on human health? 126 Egg-free baking tips 128 The use of honey by Jains 129 The use of processed and refined sugar 131 Saboodana (sago): a non-vegetarian food-food for 133 thought? The use of silver foil (varak) on food 135 Mouth freshener - the use of paan (betal-nut) 141 Alcohlic drinks & ahimsa 141 Medicine & Vitamins 146 The use of animal – based products other than food 147 The use of animal based products 147 How is real leather produced these days? 150 The economics of leather & how its use directly 151 contributes to slaughter of more animals Alternatives to leather 156 The use of silk: should I use real silk and silk products? 156 6 An Ahimsa Crisis: You Decide Wool for body covering: is wool too a product of himsa? 160 Body decorations & himsa: the use & trade in animal- 164 based products such as coral, pearls, & ivory The use of beauty aid products 166 Related news & examples of cruelty-free movements 168 A message for contemplation 172 Some customs & traditions in the Jain community 173 The treatment of domestic servants & factory workers 173 Commital of himsa in the name of caste 175 Open & uncontrolled himsa in Jain functions 176 The use of peacock feather pichchhi by the digambra 176 Jain munis Should I serve or pay for non-veg food or meals for a 178 close friend? Family disputes: the beginning of life-long himsa 180 There is an alternative to violence 182 The relationship between what we do in the temples and 183 what we do outside The TATA company gesture 184 Epilogue 187 Gender selection in the Jain community in India 188 The menace of dowry in the Jain community 189 An example of compassion 191 The treatment of daughters—in - law & young brides 192 Mixed marriages: outside the tradition, inter-sect, 192 intercaste, and inter-religious. Animosity & conflicts within various sects of Jainism 193 Animal shelters run by Jains 194 The use of animal based products becoming prevalent in 197 the Jain community Jains have begun eating & serving meat & alcoholic 198 drinks Donations to Jain charities by unethical buisness - people 202 and meat traders: is this acceptable? Unkowingly becoming non-vegetarian when going out to 205 eat Animals & birds as pets in Jain homes 206 Conclusion 207 An Ahimsa Crisis: You Decide 7 Himsa in making a living (aarambhi himsa) 208 Ahimsa & ethics in business: a pre-requisite 208 Achorya (non-stealing) vow (anuvrat) and Jains 209 Five most important and pivotal vratas (vows) 209 What is achorya /asteya? 210 Reasons for violating the vow of achorya 211 Landscape of stealing 211 Violation of the vow of achorya 212 Some recent trends 213 Recent examples & trends 213 Sayings by: Mahatma Gandhi 214 The relationship between investment, business, and 215 ahimsa—how do I choose? The menace of adulteration & the Jain community 215 Adulteration in food items 217 Adulteration in medicines 219 Adulteration in patrol/gasoline and diesel 220 Adulteration & poor quality in building materials & 220 construction Cheating in the health care industry 222 Occupational health & safety at work place 225 Destruction of the environment (paryaavaran), a sin 229 against humanity—environment, ecology, pollution, himsa & the Jain community Jains in meat business 235 Do economic & finacial cheating & swindling constitute 241 himsa? Capitalism, economic meltdowns, swindling, and 244 manipulation are the boon of the west in the 21st century A visit with warren buffett, the world’s second richest 246 man Conclusion 247 Some inspirational examples, stories and case histories 248 Mahatma Gandhi, whose whole life was a book on ahimsa 248 Shrimad Rajchandra (or Raichand) & concern for the 250 welfare of others in his diamond business Lala Roop Lal Jain and his ahimsa in practice - concern 251 for the weak 8 An Ahimsa Crisis: You Decide Local Jain refuses to print himsa material 253 Canadian woman refuses animal- ingredient and tested 254 medicines Lessons from my grand-daughters 254 Refusal to ride an elephant 256 Concern for cruelty to the horse 256 Concern for ahimsa in delivering justice 257 Minimizing himsa in professional duties 258 Ahimsa guides a Jain parliamentarian 259 Priority of care for horses 259 One city in Belgium goes vegetarian 260 Honesty in business pays dividends 260 Noted Jain creates & sells cruelty-free soap 261 Celebrating with compassion 262 Ahimsa in word & deed 262 Nemi & Rajul still inspire many 263 People first, profit later 264 Forgot how to hate 264 Resolving greivances with ahimsa 265 Jain stock brokers call for a non-violent stock index 266 Good news: agriculture technology could change how 267 the world eats Domestic tension resolved with smiles 268 Motherly, unconditional love 269 Teachers for ahimsa program 269 Jains did not walk away from ahimsa during the partition 270 of India in 1947 North American Jains abstaining from leather 271 Vegan thanks-giving 271 US Congressman & crusader for peace 272 Compassion breaking the cycle of violence 273 Care for injured birds 275 Community role models in ahimsa 275 Especially noteworty examples of ahimsa 276 Australian animal rights crusader 278 A salute to Houston’s Sikh community 287 Ahimsa in crisis - a call for action 289 Ahimsa: just a slogan? 290 An Ahimsa Crisis: You Decide 9 Current tradition without significant and visible activism 291 Currently the Jain community seems to have different set 292 of priorities Lack of teaching, training, grounding, and discussion on 293 ahimsa We practice what we see 296 We need to embrace the five anuvratas and not the five 296 mahavratas Our community has many sadhus and sadhvis, and still 297 Jainism is nearly unknown Lack of visionary and commited leaders 302 Why did gandhism fail and practically disappear from 302 India? We must practice before we preach 303 The need for applied Jainism and jeevan vigyaan (the art 304 & science of living) We have many mothers but not many moms 305 Where should one go for practical training in ahimsa? 305 A call to action 306 What does all of this mean to us? 308 Resources for vegetarianism & veganism 311 How to be a compassionate consumer? 313 Final thoughts, ideas & perspectives about ahimsa 316 Gandhi’s quotes on Jainism and nonviolence 318 Us graduating veterinarians include notion of ahimsa in 318 revised graduation oath 10 An Ahimsa Crisis: You Decide Dedication Ahimsa (non-violence) and its practice is universal, non-denominational, and has no boundary of time, place, culture, geography, weather, politics, power, position or status in society. It is unconditional and free from caste, creed, race, gender, age or any other human-made or natural differences. This book is dedicated to all the practitioners of ahimsa, wherever they may be. An Ahimsa Crisis: You Decide 11 Publishers Note Though modern civilization is characterized by a concern for fellow human beings, the foremost problem of our age is growing violence, both in thought and action. Fast evolving fields of communication and transportation have turned the world into a village. A child in Europe may have sympathy and extend help to one of his ilk in Africa.
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