JAINA Convention 2009 Ecology - the Jain Way
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JAINA 09 Cover.indd 1 6/23/2009 11:22:38 AM JAINA 09 Cover.indd 2 6/23/2009 11:22:42 AM 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 JAINA: THE FOUNDING The concept of uniting all Jain communities in USA and Canada under one umbrella organization was conceived in 1980 by Lalit Shah, a visionary Vice President of Jain Center of Southern Cali- fornia (JCSC). The idea was well received by var- ious Jain communities, scholars – Professor Pad- manabh Jaini (UC Berke- ley) and Professor Jagdish Prasad Sharma (University of Hawaii), and dignitaries - Pujya Gurudev Chitrabhanuji and Pujya Acharya Sushil Muniji. A convention committee of Sudhir Kothari (Chairman), Lalit Shah (Co Chair), Mahen- dra Khandhar, Pallavi Sheth, Dhiren Shah and Dinesh Gala was tasked to explore the feasibility of this concept and led to organizing the first na- tional convention of Jains in the USA hosted by JCSC from May 22-25, 1981. The delegates met at the TRW Auditorium, Manhattan Beach, 24 OF AN ORGANIZATION California (a suburb of Los Angeles). The con- vention was graced by Pujya Gurudev Chitrab- hanuji, Pujya Acharya Sushilkumarji, Professor Padmanabh Jaini, Profes- sor Jagdish Prasad Sharma, Dr. Ann Norton, and delegates from New York, New Jersey, Wash- inton DC, Boston, Cleve- land, Detroit, Rochester, Toronto, Chicago, San Francisco and other cities. The delegates adopted a draft constitu- tion and the name The Federation of Jain Organ- izations in North America (JAINA), and elected the First Executive Commit- tee - Lalit Shah as Presi- dent; Manoj Dharamsi, Tansukh Salgia and Di- nesh Dalal as three Vice Presidents; and Girish Shah of San Jose as Sec- retary/Treasurer. A record of this remarkable historical event – THE FOUNDING OF JAINA – is depicted in the collection of photos here. - Souvenir Team 25 Lord Rishabhdev Lord Parshwanath Lord Mahavir Navakar Mantra Congratulations to JAINA volunteers for their dedication and tireless efforts in proliferating Jain Heritage in the Western Environment. Jain Center of Greater Boston 15 Cedar Street • Norwood, MA 02062 Phone: (781) 672-9490 • www.jcgb.org 15th Biennial JAINA Convention 2009 Ecology - The Jain Way THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND of, and reverence for, all forms of life. He included in his definition of life not only all beings ECOLOGICAL TEACHINGS OF that can move, but also the earth, air, water and TIRTHANKARA MAHAVIRA vegetation. Moreover, he considered any injury Sadhvi Shilapi to these forms of life a sinful act. “Vegetation has [email protected] life just as human beings have life,” he stated. “It is born as are human beings; its body grows and feels pain when pricked or cut with weapons.” Sadhvi Shilapiji has been the Mahavira further proclaimed that anyone who Education Director of Veerayatan – neglects or disregards the existence of earth, air, Kutch since 2001 when the campus water, and vegetation disregards his own was first established to help the existence, which is intrinsically bound up with victims of the devastating earthquake. them. She holds a Master of Commerce degree from Delhi University, and a This notion of the symbiotic relationship of Master of Philosophy degree from King’s College, humans to their environment appears in the London. She began her spiritual journey at the earliest Jain scriptures, including in the Adipurana, age of 26. Her proficiency in six languages has the epic poem about the first Tirthankara, enabled her to touch the lives of a wide cross- Rusabha Dev. This text emphasizes that forests section of people in India and abroad. Sadhvi moderate the climate, protect against Shilapiji frequently lectures at Oxford, Harvard thunderstorms and floods, shelter the neighboring and other international institutions. areas from cold winds, and enable the constant flow of rivers. They provide a habitat for wildlife, THE ECOLOGICAL CRISIS fodder for animals, innumerable industrial raw We are in the midst of an unprecedented materials, and countless sources of vegetation environmental and ecological crisis, at the centre with medicinal and healing properties. It is thus of which, clearly, lies the human race. It is the the duty of all to protect and preserve the forest. human community, among all forms of life on this planet, which is interfering with the laws of nature Mahavira actively propagated these ideas and by squandering her gifts and destrong other went on to make the protection and care of life in species. Ironically, the recent and urgent desire all its manifestations an obligatory duty for all to protect the environment has not arisen because Jains. Some may think that divine-human we have begun to hear the cries of plants, relations are considered more important than the animals and other forms of life – a direct result of relationship between humans and the natural our maltreatment of them – but because human world. However, sarvajnyata, the perfect life itself is now in danger. That is, the depletion knowledge of Mahavira or of any Tirthankara and of these elements may result in a legacy for our for which we all strive, is not only defined as the children and our grandchildren of compromised knowledge of past, present, and future, but also immune systems, increased infectious disease and as an extraordinary capacity for experiencing the cancer rates, destroyed plants and the disruption pain and pleasure of all beings. Tirthankaras of the food chain. I wonder: Would we have the have attained this great state of empathy by the same concern, the same worry for other forms of purification of their soul. And at the root of the life, if human life had not been in danger? Would Jain path of purification is the concept of ahimsa, we give the protection of the environment a that is, of nonviolence. second thought? Carefulness so as to avoid violence to all living MAHAVIRA’S LIFE ETHICS things, as Mahavira defined them, thus became From the beginning, Tirthankara Mahavira the norm for the Jain way of life. This developed campaigned for ecological preservation not solely to the extent that those who renounce the world because of his desire to protect human life, but are required to take precautions for the protection also because of his concern for the pain suffered of life before every action they perform. It is not by living beings in the animal and vegetable a coincidence, then, that a Jain follower’s daily realms. Through scriptures such as the Acaranga prayer includes the following: “I confess to any Sutra (ca.400 BCE), the first in the Svetambara injury caused by the path of my movement, in all Jain tradition, Mahavira fundamentally influenced my comings and goings, in treading on living our understanding of and attitudes toward the things, in treading on seeds, in treading on green environment. In short, he believed in the equality plants, in treading on dew, on beetles, on mould, on moist earth, and on cobwebs” and so on. 28 15th Biennial JAINA Convention 2009 Ecology - The Jain Way At the same time, Mahavira was clearly conscious Moving forward along the path toward purification of the fact that according to his philosophy, requires not only that we strive not to commit whatever humans do, whether it be eating, violence, but also that we work actively to walking, sitting or even breathing, we are promote peace, reverence, justice, and tolerance committing acts of violence, interfering with in the world. nature, and contributing to the destruction of the environment. Still, he said, “If you are aware of I come from Bihar, the place of Tirthankara all your actions, and are careful about what you Mahavira’s birth, teaching, and final death and do in relation to other living things, you will where most of the population lives below the develop spirituality and be in perfect harmony poverty line. Villagers cut down trees for fuel for with the natural world.” If this harmony is cooking and sell wood as a way to earn a living. achieved, the long term outlook for the global People feed on rats, empty the lakes and ponds of environment would change dramatically. fish to survive, and continue to perform sacrificial rituals. The impact on the local environment is NONVIOLENCE AND ECOLOGY IN PRACTICE profound. Mahavira carried this philosophy into the workplace, preaching to his disciples that they Veerayatan, a Jain institution established in Bihar take care to avoid professions that destroy nature and run by Jain sadhvis (nuns), is taking and perpetuate violence. Jains are clearly preventative measures to save the environment. forbidden, for instance, from earning a living Veeryatan has by planted thousands of trees, and through the destruction of plants, cart-making, by provided drinking water, food, shelter and any trade in animal by-products, liquor, alcohol, employment to thousands in the community to poisons, weapons, and other substances that have reduce individuals’ dependence on remaining the potential to injure animals, insects, or plant natural resources. Above all, Veerayatan is life. Significantly, rejection of such trades also conveying moral and ethical values about the requires that Jains not consume the products of importance of ecological balance and minimizing these trades. At the same time, by limiting one’s violence. As a result, thousands of people in the use of resources and possessions – one of the area have given up drinking alcohol, killing major vows that the Jain laity observes – one can animals, chopping trees, and eating meat. also minimize one’s environmental impact. Religion is often seen as passive and unconcerned Tirthankara Mahavira’s life offers a profound with the world. In Veerayatan, the reverse is example of one living in ecological harmony. He true. The sadhvi-led activism at Veerayatan, used resources sparingly, ate just enough to enacted on a daily basis, is rooted in Tirthankara survive, had no dwelling of his own, and no Mahavira’s universal principle that the sun, air, possessions whatsoever.