Showing posts with label Ahimsa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ahimsa. Show all posts

Dec 20, 2022

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender - What is the Jain thing to do?


Q29. What is Jain view on lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender? In general, much of Jain community do not accept them as normal or equal people,  what can we do to accept them as equal human beings? What is the Jain thing to do as a family and community? How does Jainism guide us to accept the normalcy of such orientations?

 

We are grateful that our community is asking these questions. These questions have been around for ages, but often they are not talked about openly. We have received this question from individuals with different orientation, from parents whose children are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, and from youth in our community who wish to understand the Jain view on this topic. At the heart of each question we received, there was the concern that the actions, reactions, and behavior we often see towards people of different gender identities and sexual orientations do not feel aligned with Jain values. We set out to answer one question of compassion: How can we as Jains address discrimination and cultivate acceptance?


To address this topic, we researched Jain scriptures, scientific studies, and most importantly, held conversations with individuals who have experienced this situation.

 

Because heterosexuality has been the norm during the modern era, whenever we come across any lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals, we often resort to one of three responses:


1.    Ostracize (exclude) them as abnormal or immoral

2.    Ask them hide their identities, lie about it, or change their orientation

3.    Accept them and enable them to live life true to themselves


We don't need an in-depth study of Jain scriptures to see that choices 1 and 2 are against Jain values. Not accepting an individual for who they are is not practicing anekantvad, ostracizing someone is a form of harsh violence, and asking someone to lie and live falsehood is not practicing satya. So, the Jain thing to do is to accept them, embrace them with no judgment or bias, and empower and enable them to live their authentic life being true to themselves in the same way we expect for ourselves.

 

Even though we can cognitively agree that choice #3 is most in line with Jain values, our social conditioning, cultural influence, and belief systems can make it difficult for us to put those values into practice. It can also be incredibly challenging for lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people to understand and accept themselves, and often they are not able to open up about their identities because of the fear of how others will react, the fear of being judged, ostracized, ridiculed, or outcasted, fear of being discriminated against, or treated violently, and fear of how family will accept and handle the social discrimination faced as a fallout of such revelation. In addition, people born with different orientations may feel alone and ashamed as a result.

 

Centuries of programming and conditioning have led our society to adopt a very narrow window of what is considered normal, common, or morally acceptable. When something is not common, we think of it as abnormal, it becomes a taboo and a shameful thing, and because of that, such individuals across generations have chosen to keep their true orientation hidden.

 

We hear stories in our Jain community and in the news about the consequences of societal fears, offensive treatment, and non-acceptance. People have lost their lives, tried to commit suicide, or lived with anger, deceit, fear, and suppression day in and day out. And for us as Jains, becoming a “nimitt” (catalyst) for anyone’s such sorrow and misery is completely against true Jain values.

 

This article is specifically focused on what we can do as families, community, and society to create a more compassionate, tolerant, and accepting environment, and truly embrace anyone that falls outside norm in our traditional society. Each and every one of us have a responsibility and moral imperative in creating a more inclusive and accepting world.



Mithyatva/Ignorance

When we hold on to unexamined and wrong beliefs, Jainism refers to it as Mithyatva or Ignorance. Our ignorance is a major cause of suffering within us and others. There are many ignorant beliefs that people have held over years about lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender individuals. For many of us, we can go about our lives holding onto these beliefs and we may never encounter personal situations to look more deeply into such beliefs.

 

However, in conversation with families who have faced these situations where a family member is lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, their biggest learning and growth came from shedding their misguided beliefs and recognizing that their love towards the child is no different after learning this aspect about them. Only when they learn of their own child or a close relative being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, they realize that consciously or subconsciously they have been holding onto misguided beliefs. For example, they may believe being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender is a disease that can be cured, that it is caused by the influence of Western culture, that the person has chosen to be this way, that they can be converted to heterosexual orientation if they try, that it is a punishment or shame on themselves or a reflection on bad parenting somehow, that it is a mental sickness, it is infectious, or you can turn lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender by hanging out with them. This kind of mindset often results in much suffering for the person and his or her family members. Such beliefs go against the core Jain values.

 

When life presents us with challenging and unexpected situations, how we respond at that time is our true test of wisdom and spirituality. Especially, when it comes to children, our first response as parents plays the most important role in creating a positive versus negative outcome. When our children choose to confide in us, our response will either encourage them to lead an authentic life or add further to their fear and trauma. It is fundamentally the responsibility of the parents and immediate family to protect and nurture their children by accepting them as they are.



Jain Literature

We researched Jain literature to understand how orientations are recognized.  In Bhagwati Sutra and Tattvartha Sutra three sexes are mentioned. They refer to the categories of Male, Female and Hermaphrodite. The Hermaphrodite are indicated as neither male nor female.

 

Further, they classify sexual disposition as different from the physical, sexual attributes of the body. Sexual disposition is also categorized as Male, Female and the third category as neither completely Male nor Female, nor common to both Male and Female categories.  Thus, mental disposition is recognized to be different from physical anatomy. This classification would, therefore, refer to what we now know as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender sexual orientations.

 

Jain philosophy and scriptures are quite clear on how each soul lands into a specific body and mental disposition based on the Body making (NaamKarma and Mohaniya Karma.  This is also true for all animals with five senses. The scriptures clearly state that all souls, regardless of the mental and physical orientation, have the potential for liberation upon the exhaustion of Mohaniya Karma. Although Digamber scriptures say that a soul is capable of liberation only via male-body.

 

So, what this tells us is that lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender orientations are recognized in our scriptures and are not a weakness, defect, choice, fake, imaginary, or just mental formation. It is an attribute of the body, similar to the height or color of skin. Every soul has same potential, irrespective of their human body or orientation.

 

In the Hindu scriptures, Napunsak (hermaphrodite category) is one of the many names of ShivaShiva is sometimes portrayed as half male and Half female or Ardhanarishwara. In Brahmand PuranaNapunsaka is defined as neither male nor female sex type and further elaborates that the soul attains its sexual category in the womb itself. Hence, both Jain and Hindu scriptures accept such an event happening even before birth.



Science

Almost 50 years back, in December 1973, the American Psychiatric Association (APA), the largest psychiatric organization in the world, made history by issuing a resolution stating that homosexuality was not a mental illness or sickness. This declaration helped shift public opinion, marking a major milestone for LGBTQ equality.

 

The Indian Psychiatric Society (IPA), the largest society of mental health professionals in India, categorically stated in 2018 that homosexuality is not a disease and must not be regarded as such.

 

According to the Kinsey Institute, in studies conducted in the 1940’s and 1950’s, 10% of American males and 3% of American females were found to be gay/lesbian.

 

Based on data collected through 11 surveys conducted in the U.S. and four other countries in 2012, the key findings estimated 3.5% of adults in the United States identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual and an estimated 0.3% of adults are transgender. Even though more than 10 million people self-identified themselves, the numbers were probably undermeasured and underreported.

 

As acceptance and public opinion are shifting, the percentage reported has steadily increased since Gallup first measured LGBTQ identification in 2012. In 2021, Gallup finds that LGBTQ identification in U.S ticks up to 7.1%, which is approximately 23 million people. So, think about how many people are impacted and how we treat them becomes very important. We cannot afford to remain ignorant or indifferent about it.



Changing Attitudes in India

While general social attitudes in India regarding LGBTQ+ lags behind most Western countries, it is important to note that there have been some significant developments.  


For instance, between 1990 and 2014, the share of Indian respondents in the World Values Survey who believed “homosexuality is never justifiable" fell from 89% to 24%—from an overwhelming majority to a clear minority. 

 

Supreme Count of India’s verdict on decriminalizing Section 377” in 2018 gave the country’s gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans community the freedom to safely express their sexual orientation

Page 6 from the verdict:

"... The natural identity of an individual should be treated to be absolutely essential to his being. What nature gives is natural. That is called nature within. Thus, that part of the personality of a person has to be respected and not despised or looked down upon. The said inherent nature and the associated natural impulses in that regard are to be accepted. Non-acceptance of it by any societal norm or notion and punishment by law on some obsolete idea and idealism affects the kernel of the identity of an individual. Destruction of individual identity would tantamount to crushing of intrinsic dignity that cumulatively encapsulates the values of privacy, choice, freedom of speech and other expressions...."

 

At this time, there are many LGBTQ+ organizations in India that provide resources and support for the community.



The Jain Thing to Do – Jain Values in Action

When we accept and embrace someone the way they are, then there is no judgment, no bias, no prejudices, no label - we accept them as a whole human being.

 

True acceptance shows up in our conscious and purposeful behavior as well as in subtle and subconscious behavior - we believe and behave towards lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender individuals as an equal person, use the same mindset and scale for gays and lesbians as we would for a heterosexual people or couples while making any choices, we don’t hide their identity or ask them to hide, we advocate for them and we never apologize for them being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.

 

Some people may feel that the issue of sexual orientation doesn’t concern them, so they do not wish to talk about it. They may take a ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ type of attitude, as if ignoring it will make the issue disappear. Such denial and avoidance is a form of lying to oneself. Rather, it is more honorable and courageous to acknowledge that a diversity of sexual orientations exists, and to educate oneself about the truths of sexual orientation without judgment and condemnation.

 

These kinds of mindsets and behaviors can be a source of assurance and implicit societal acceptance. The more people change to a positive attitude towards LGBT individuals, the faster we can bring that change in our society.

 

To embody this level of acceptance in our thoughts and behavior, we must recognize the need for our own inner work and challenge ourselves to overcome the biases. This kind of inner transformation starts with knowledge and understanding. By not doing the inner work, we are increasing kashaya within us and it is a hinderance for our own spiritual growth.

 

Let’s look at a few core values and principles of Jainism and how they apply to this topic:



Ahimsa

Ahimsa means not causing harm and having compassion for any living being through our thoughts, words, or behavior. So, when we discriminate, ostracize, outcast, gossip towards anyone who is lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender then we are creating himsa (violence). The principle of Ahimsa teaches us to hold compassion, love, and understanding towards them and treat them as equal.



Anekantvad

The principle of Anekantvad teaches us that “I am not the only one who is right, and others are not wrong. Others are right too”. The ultimate truth is complex and has many aspects. Anekantvad teaches us to accept and respect everyone, no exception. It also states that no single, specific statement can describe the nature of existence and the absolute truth. This principle is at the heart of understanding, embodying, and promoting diversity inclusion towards all gender identities. This principle urges us to create a more just, compassionate, and inclusive society.



Aparigraha

The principle of Aparigraha teaches us that the path to liberation can be achieved by giving up all emotional attachments, internal passions, sensual pleasures and material possession. All forms of parigraha (internal passions/kashaya) to the world are ultimately an obstacle to our journey to liberation. This principle reminds us to let go of our internal passions and attachments that make us shame or demean the individuals of LGBTQ orientation. It is a sign of our spiritual immaturity and therefore becoming an obstacle in our journey to liberation.



Satya

Satya means living one’s authentic life. Satya is about having the courage to know your truth, live it authentically, and never be apologetic about it. When we hide reality or ask others to hide their reality, then we are turning away from truth. This principle urges us to create an environment where lesbian, gay, bisexual and people of all gender identities feel empowered to be themselves and live authentically.



Soul

One of the core Jain beliefs in Jainism is that the universe constitutes of six fundamental substances and Soul (Jiva) is one of them. Soul (Jiva) is the only living substance, which has consciousness. Every living being is a soul. An infinite number of souls exist in the universe, and they are all unique. Every human regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identities, is a soul and deserves the same acceptance, respect, safety, and compassion.



Spiritual Growth

Our spiritual progress lies in reducing and removing our mithyatva (ignornace) and kashaya (anger, ego, deceit, greed, attachment, aversion, and other vices). It lies in overcoming our fears, such as what would people say or think.

 

“Padhamam nanam tao daya“ (Dasavaikalik Sutra 4.10)- First knowledge (gyan) / understanding and then achar or conduct / actionAt an individual level, we must first educate ourselves, understand, verify the information with our logic and internalize it. We must reflect on our own previously internalized bias and attempt to uproot our unconscious negative attitudes towards gays, lesbians, or any other gender identities.


Spirituality teaches that life is not what happens to us, but life is our response to what happens to us. It is about how we navigate (unexpected) situations in life without being consumed by despair, anger, or hatred. And recognizing that if we ask the right questions during a crisis then wisdom arises and it leads to spiritual growth.


External renunciation is meaningless if the Soul remains fettered by internal shackles (Kashaya or vices) - Bhava-Pahud (13)Our religious and spiritual practices are meaningless if our beliefs, ignorance, and behaviors end up causing suffering in other human beings.  



Summary

In summary, knowledge is power and once the knowledge becomes our own then we can make choices aligned with our values and we can educate those around us.

We believe this article will serve its purpose if:


·       Our community will help in creating a more inclusive and tolerant society, in which every human can live their authentic life and never feel apologetic about who they are or who they love.

·       LGBT individuals will find courage to accept themselves and live happy and fulfilling lives that are authentic to who they are.

·       Family and society show complete acceptance and compassion towards their children and others, regardless of their gender identities or any other external factors outside of the society’s definition of “normal.”

·       This awareness will enable a family to face the situation with understanding, patience, acceptance, love, and compassion, when a child opens up to them. The first response is critical.

·       The knowledge and awareness take away the fear of unknown.

·       It enables people in our community to hold meaningful conversations and use appropriate language when it comes to this topic.

·       It empowers and urges all of us to do the inner work to reduce and remove our mithyatva and kashaya.



Acknowledgments and References:

We would like to thank Jain Scientist Acharya Shree Vijay Nandighoshsuriji for sharing his knowledge on Jain literature as it relates to this topic. The information has been incorporated in this article based on the conversation with him.

We would also like to thank Dr. Vijay Mehta for sharing his journey, experiences, and insights with us. That helped us tremendously in drafting this article.

Dr. Mehta is retired Chief of Surgery from the city of Temple, Texas. He is an advocate for the LGBT community.  His son Parag came out to him on March 27, 1999, at the height of HIV epidemic and a wave of homophobia. In response to this news, Dr. Mehta wrote a letter to his family and friends sharing Parag’s truth and affirming his son’s decision to live as his true and authentic self. That letter has been shared by many in the Indian American community as a model for how to lead with love.

Dr. Mehta has been vocal about his journey from being a homophobic person to becoming an ally and counselor to others who may be traveling the same difficult path. His toast at his son's 2019 wedding – performed according to Jain rituals – went viral with more than 30 million views.  

Several resources shared by Dr. Mehta.

The speechhttps://www.facebook.com/NowThisPolitics/videos/609815982949847

The Letter https://www.facebook.com/paragie/posts/pfbid02MhbTRUCS1sA8VbEfBXsRtncycSo6ZfnVgzmUZ7RkjnRTkkwtLDNdnLWKzAiiW1TUl


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Sep 27, 2022

Dealing with bugs or pest infestation in our homes



Q28. As Jains, how do we deal with bugs or pest infestation in our homes?

We are all faced with this kind of situation in our daily lives. When we encounter infestations like ants, cockroaches, flies, termites, mice, mosquitoes, etc. around us and roaming about in our houses, multiplying every day, infesting our food products, causing health issues, biting children and so on, then we find ourselves in a dilemma and it creates inner conflict within us.  

We do not wish to cause harm to any living being, yet we are faced with situations when our actions could cause harm to bugs and pests, and not taking any action is not an option. Additionally, inaction could end up resulting in bigger infestation and more violence.

Navigating such situations is not easy. But that's when understanding the essence of principle of Ahimsa, especially on how it applies to us as laypeople, and its practical application in real life scenarios becomes very critical. As laypeople, we know that our lives cannot survive without some form of violence, so our goal is to resort to minimum violence for healthy survival.

In this article, we will share some scriptural reference that provides perspectives on the importance Jainism places on non-violence towards all living beings, and we will also share some critical nuances that can help create awareness within us as we arrive at a decision to tackle the situation.

We have addressed many practical questions related on Ahimsa on our blog but for this question we are offering an approach for all of us to share our experience and learn from each other. We have a form towards the end of the article that invites you to share your approach so that others can learn from it and our hope is that this collective wisdom will be of service to our community.

 

Jain Scriptural Review

In Jainism, we find numerous scriptural references related for Ahimsa. The Acharanga Sutra talks about the conduct and behavior appropriate for ascetic life. The Yoga Sutra explains Ahimsa vow for laypeople, and we have talked about in many of previous Ahimsa articles. The Sutrakritanga Sutra deals with the question of non-violence and Jain metaphysics.

As we think deeply about these scriptures, it continuous to instils values in us to have utmost reverence for all living beings and live our life with that awareness. It is also important to understand that the information is not meant to paralyze us from carrying out our duties or not take appropriate action when faced with a situation that requires action.

Additionally, Tattvarth Sutra provides a very meaningful framework that can help us frame our mindset such that we can be better informed to take appropriate decisions. We will look at the some of the aspects from Tattvartha Sutra like our way of being (bhaav/reflections) and means employed to take an action in this article.

As we can see, there are no commandments or instructions, instead we must know the principles, understand it, and apply it in our current life situation using our wisdom.

Now, let’s talk about the nuances that we need to be mindful of as we try to figure out what to do

 

So, how do we deal with it?

When our home has been infested then we must act and take necessary steps to prevent such situation in future. When we carry out any action, we need to mindful of the means employed and our inner way of being (bhaav).

What we mean by our inner way of being is introspecting our intention and feeling (bhaav) associated with our action. When we carry out an action with negative energy, intense passion, or feeling of anger, frustration, or revenge then it leads to more Kashayas within us and results in more suffering.

When we are faced with a situation where we are required to take an action then we must do our due diligence and employ the means that causes minimum violence. This requires patience, understanding and willingness to do research.

As you navigate on what action to take, we would like to offer few thoughts for consideration:

Immediate Actions / Reactive

When confronted with a situation where we face presence of ants, mosquitoes, bugs, rats, etc. then consider following aspects as you decide:

-        Try to find alternate non-violent forms of treatment or natural options to remove the infestation

-        If that doesn’t work, then look for options that are least harmful. For example, when considering which chemical to spray do some research on which chemical has least negative implication.

-        Also, consider effect of the option on the ecosystem as a whole. The ecosystem is a fine balance between various life forms, interconnected with each other. Toxic chemicals disturb this balance, by either significantly reducing population of particular species in the chain, or more often causing harm to several species in the chain.

Retrospective

After the situation has been addressed, we want to take time and reflect on what caused this problem. Understand that it could be our ignorance or carelessness that led to this of kind of problem. It could be anything from not maintaining cleanliness, leakage, lose pipes, or leaving food outside.

Preventive

Once the immediate need has been addressed and we have taken some retrospective time, we must focus on how to proactively prevent such situations in future.

-        We need to determine what actions we need to take to stop the infestation at the source, for example, we must seal the entry points. And as we do that it can help us prevent same or similar situations in future.

-        Additionally, we should also focus on creating awareness about non-violent methods in our community like teach such non-violent methods in our Pathshalas and donate toward collating and distributing research in this area. A part of jeevdaya funds collected in temples can be used for this activity.

 

Collective Emergence

We have collected some resources below with practical solutions that we feel are well aligned to Jain values that we have shared in the reference below. However, many of us have faced this kind of situations and employed various alternative non-violent solutions. We would like to invite you share your experiences in service to others using this form. You can share the situation you faced, actions that worked for you, proactive/preventive steps that you suggest, region you belong to, and any other recommendations. 

You can click here to view the collective wisdom from community.



Summary

The literature review points us to understand, that Bhagwan Mahavir said that all species feel pain, and causing unnecessary pain to any life-form should be avoided. While this may be an ideal state, as travellers on the journey bound by certain attachments, we have to accept that day-to-day life is impossible without some form of violence. Confronting ants, mosquitoes, bugs, insects, etc. in our households is one such situation. Instead of being casual about it and adopting violent means immediately, we should seek information and prefer non-violent alternatives, use violent means as a last resort and to the minimum extent possible, while continuing to educate ourselves on alternatives.

As early animal rights activist, Henry Salt, said: 'We would much rather be inconsistently humane than consistently cruel.'

 

Resources

Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring

John Waddel’s book “But You Kill Ants

Purvi Shah’s video with tips for “Detoxing Your Home in an Eco-Friendly Way


Jul 5, 2020

Climate Crisis Series - Part 2 of 3: Why should we care about it?


This is the second in a series of 3 questions and answers about climate change. The prior article explained climate change and how various human activities is causing it. This article below examines why we, as Jains, should care about climate change. The final article will address what actions we can take to limit the adverse effects of climate change.


Q18. Why should we, especially as Jains, care about the climate / environmental issues?

Why does climate matter? Why should anyone care?

From a purely anthropomorphic (human-centric) point of view, taking action on climate change is necessary for our own survival and well-being. To date, climate change has affected poorer parts of the world and animal and plant life more than people in the developing world. The wealthier countries and communities have been mostly spared from the most serious effects, so far. However, climate change does not favor or discriminate. Left unaddressed, it will affect every living being, if not in our lifetimes, then in the coming generations. In the history of mankind, people have generally escaped from disasters by emigrating to new lands. However, the unprecedented nature of climate change is that it engulfs the entire planet, leaving no feasible place for people to escape to. Therefore, even from a purely selfish standpoint, one should care for the sake his or her own comfort and survival.

From a broader moral standpoint, we share the Earth with billions of other humans as well as other life, all of whom desire to live, seek happiness, and avoid pain. A naturally functioning planet is a basic requirement for every living being to survive. The choices we make today will affect the amount of greenhouse gases we put into the atmosphere in future. The basic moral argument is that humans have inherited the resources and boons of a good life from generations before, and we owe it to the younger and coming generations, and for all other life, to leave them a livable planet.

What is the Jain point of view on why climate change should matter?

From Jain perspective, let’s first recognize that Jain dharma offers a treasure of wisdom to help humankind navigate the uniquely global, modern-day challenges posed by climate change. Jain dharma offers extremely relevant and timely guidance not only for Jains, but for all humanity and all living beings. Jains strive to follow five key principles known as Mahavrats (great vows). Two of these Jains principles are most directly relevant to climate change, including Ahimsa (non-violence) and Aparigraha (non-possessiveness). Another two principles also have relevance for climate change, including Asteya (non-stealing), and Satya (truthfulness). Let’s examine each of these.

·        Ahimsa: Our first and foremost basis for life is reflected in the Jain principle “ahimsa paramo dharma” (non-violence is the highest virtue). This “live and let live” principle of non-violence and compassion extends to all living beings, and to the planet itself as an ecosystem of living beings. Jain dharma recognizes the connectedness of all living beings. Parasparopagraho Jīvānām is a Jain aphorism from the Tattvārtha Sūtra, which translates as “all life is bound together by mutual support and interdependence", or more literally as “souls render service to one another.” Ahimsa calls for mutual respect and reverence for all living beings. When Ahimsa is practiced to its full extent, humanity can live with compassion in a more balanced harmony with the environment and the other living beings on the planet.

·        Aparigraha: In Jain dharma, the word parigraha means to crave, seek, or collect material possessions. The Jain Mahavrat of Aparigraha calls for non-attachment, or non-possessiveness. Attachment is considered an obstacle to spiritual liberation because the excessive pursuit of material possessions leads to the desire to own such objects, an insatiable greed for acquiring more, and the fear of losing what one has. All of these can become a distraction to the upliftment of the soul.

For laypeople, Jain dharma recognizes the role of material possessions as merely a temporary means to sustain the body to the necessary degree during its finite physical life. It is believed that we are not the owner of wealth, but merely trustees who should use the wealth to help those in need instead of hoarding and spending lavishly on ourselves. Material possessions should not become the end-goal of life itself. When people form attachments to consumer goods, houses, cars, jewelry, vacations, luxuries, wealthy, and so on, then the underlying attachment not only becomes a distraction to our spiritual growth, but it also results in the exploitation of the environment, which is a major cause of climate change. For this reason, Jain dharma recommends that people should extinguish or minimize desires to only what is necessary and strive to limit one’s needs.

·        Asteya is the Jain Mahavrat concerning the principle of not stealing. For laypersons, non-stealing is usually interpreted as not taking something that does not belong to us, and not to acquire possessions through unfair means. If we further consider the resources of our planet Earth as inherently shared by all living beings, then the principle of Asteya can be interpreted to mean that no one should take or keep more than his or her fair share. Today, global wealth is extremely concentrated in the hands of a small minority of people (including some Jains). Extreme wealth disparities can be considered a kind of theft because it can lead to desperation for survival and a race to the bottom for the many other have-nots. The resulting exploitation of resources has an adverse effect on climate change. To practice Asteya, we should be mindful to be content with our fair share of resources.

·        Satya is the Jain Mahavrat concerning the principle of telling the truth. For laypersons, Satya means observance of truth in thought, speech, and action. In practice, this means to tell the truth, not to lie not to deceive, and not to speak things that cause pain and suffering to others. As it pertains to climate change, there are two aspects of Satya that are important. The first is to avoid deluding ourselves into denying the existence of climate change, our role in it, or our responsibility to address it. Such delusion would amount to lying to ourselves. The second aspect is to promote the truth of climate change. In a democratic world where the future of the planet will be decided by the collective beliefs and actions of many, it is imperative that people understand the facts. Today, there is much harmful misinformation in the world about climate change. To observe Satya, one must not only avoid propagating false beliefs, but also strive to create right awareness with others in such matters.

The relevance of these Jain principles to climate change is very critical. Most humans do not naturally strive to commit violence to the environment. We do not intend to become greedy and hoard. We do not take pride in stealing and lying. But let us consider whether we are applying Jain principles to their full extent to address climate change.

The reality is that most of us, whether Jain or not, remain oblivious to or in denial of the levels of violence that we cause either directly or more often, indirectly. The root cause of our ignorance is our disconnectedness. Governments and business institutions, acting under national and corporate interests, collectively enable hundreds of millions of humans to cooperate with each other to commit unimaginable levels of violence. However, because of the gigantic scale and complexity of such institutions, we individuals may not recognize or feel responsibility for the violence enabled by our own actions, because of our disconnectedness. A person living by principles of Ahimsa would never directly participate in wiping out an entire forest, starving the resident animals, displacing its indigenous people, and poisoning its environment. But the same individuals may not be aware that his/her taxes, consumer spending, and stock market investments may be enabling exactly such violence.

In modern society, we are disconnected from the natural world, from our actions and consequences, and even from each other. Our advanced technology, science, cultural institutions, and specialized economies allow us to distance ourselves almost entirely from the acquisition of the necessities of life. We live in urban and suburban areas, far from nature. Our food is grown far away in massive industrial farms and transported from long distances by people we never meet and environments we never interact with. Similarly, our water, electricity, fuel, clothes, medicines, and other necessities of life are provided through complex processes from which we are largely disconnected except as end-consumers. Even when we do connect with nature, it is often in the form of very limited experiences, venturing into safe spaces in the wilderness, or recreating in curated parks. Whereas our ancestors could navigate by the stars, we hardly know the cycles of the moon, and are dependent on the internet to know the temperature outdoors.

This is not to suggest we should return to living in forests like primates. Rather, let us recognize how our spiritual disconnectedness with ourselves and with the world is making us part of a much greater system of violence than is commonly recognized. A true commitment to stopping climate change using Ahimsa, Aparigraha, Asteya, and Satya requires individuals to create awareness and take responsibility for the effects of the entirety of our actions, individually and collectively, and directly and indirectly.

In summary, Jain dharma is a spiritual practice centered on compassion and non-violence to all living beings and the planet. In Jain dharma, all souls are considered equal, and humans are not entitled to impose superiority over other living beings or hold dominion over the planet. Our religion recognizes the interdependency of living beings for our mutual survival. Jain dharma has great relevance for understanding and addressing the contemporary challenge of climate change. As the spiritual adherents of Mahavir Bhagwan, we are well positioned to share the message of Jain dharma with a world that needs to act decisively and with greater urgency to save the planet.

This concludes our perspective on we, as human beings, and Jains especially, should care about climate change. The next article will explain what we can do to stop climate change and protect the environment.

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Additional recommended reading:

1. The JAINA Ahimsak Eco-Vegan Committee has prepared a comprehensive statement summarizing the problem of climate change from a Jain perspective. We encourage readers to learn more at Jain Declaration on the Climate Crisis.

2. Jainism and Ecology, by Christopher Key Chapple, Loyola Marymount University. This essay describes the Jain perspective of protection of life and its implications for an ecological worldview

 

Jun 20, 2020

Climate Crisis Series - Part 1 of 3: What is Climate Crisis?


This is the first in a series of 3 questions and answers about climate change. We will begin by describing what is climate change and what is causing it. Subsequent blog articles will address why we should care about climate change, and what we can do about it.

 

Q17. What is climate change / climate crisis? And what are the reasons for climate crisis?

Climate crisis refers to a long-term change in the Earth’s climate patterns

The term “climate crisis” commonly refers to the long-lasting changes in the planet’s global climate over the past 50-100 years, including changes to temperatures, precipitation, and wind patterns. The dangerous effects of climate change are reflected in many ways, most serious of which include:

1.     Global warming - rising average temperatures (+1.5°F over the past century).

2.     Increases in intense rainfall, flooding, droughts, and more frequent and severe heat waves and forest fires. 

3.     Increasingly acidic and warming oceans, melting polar ice caps, and rising sea levels.

Humans are primarily responsible for recent climate change

The acceleration of climate change has been widely and objectively attributed by nearly all scientists to the activities of a growing population of humans. Over the past century, a rapidly growing human population has shifted into increasingly industrialized societies. Humans have gradually demanded greater amounts of energy to support materially rich lifestyles. Through the burning of fossil fuels to generate this energy, humans have released enormous amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Climate change is directly linked to the increased concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. The effects are further worsened by deforestation, industrial processes using fossil fuels, and some agricultural practices such as factory farming and monoculture (the destructive practice of growing only one crop on giant farms). These greenhouse gases trap energy in the atmosphere and cause the Earth to heat up to levels that are dangerous to the health of the planet’s ecosystems.

Some scientists refer to this geological age as the Anthropocene epoch, in which humans, rather than geological or natural climate processes, are the dominant force shaping the planet and affecting the environment.

What are the effects of this climate change?

The effects of global warming / climate change have been widely publicized by many respected scientific, environmental, academic, and government institutions. In summary, one can say that it is having major effects on the planet and its inhabitants. The increasing concentration of greenhouse gases is causing warming temperatures in the atmosphere and oceans, melting of Arctic sea ice and glaciers, rising sea levels, increasing humidity, diminishing snow cover, and other related effects. Small changes in the average temperature of the planet are translating into large and potentially dangerous shifts in climate and weather. These changes are leading to extreme volatility in weather, more intense flooding and droughts, intense summer heat, more violent storms, loss of ecosystems and rich natural habitats, extinctions of animals, soil erosion, worsening air quality, increased disease and pestilence, freshwater shortages, food shortages, and other problems. Climate change is even considered responsible for causing forced migrations of people and heightened risks of wars. 

Why are individuals and families not doing more to stop climate change?

There are many reasons for the lack of meaningful action to stop climate change. Let’s begin with the human psychological basis for inaction. For many people, the impact of climate change may not be as top of mind or seem so gravely serious as something like the recent Covid-19 pandemic. This is because the effects of climate change are not as obviously visible or disruptive in our day-to-day lives. Unlike other very urgent and disruptive emergencies, the effects of climate change are different in three fundamental aspects:

1.     A perceived lack of timing urgency: When we are confronted with an immediate danger or mortal threat, we will react quickly. For example, when faced with an earthquake, hurricane, forest fire, flooding, or pandemics, we recognize the danger and seek shelter immediately. Ironically, some of these disasters that happen with increasing frequency are caused by climate change itself. However, we do not clearly connect climate change as a cause of such disasters. By not making this vital connection, we fail to address the root cause.

Root causes are often more difficult to perceive and treat than the resulting symptoms. Climate change is manifesting cumulatively over the past few centuries since the industrial revolution, and accelerating in the recent few decades. The human brain did not evolve to respond quickly and decisively to such a seemingly slow pace of change. When we do not perceive something as an urgent matter of life or death, our bias is to discount the threat, to “deal with it later,” and to compromise for the sake of instant gratification or short-sighted benefits.

2.     The lack of personal disruption. Climate change has a diffuse impact across geographies and socio-economic groups. The effects happen in many different and sometimes remote parts of the planet, so it may not always be visible in one’s own backyard, and it may not affect people that we know or identify with. Those who are in power and in a position to effect change may often be economically privileged and hence less impacted by climate change. Our cognitive tendency discounts things that happen far away and to people outside our immediate circles. Even when species go extinct, giant glaciers melt, or indigenous peoples are erased, it can be subconsciously dismissed as something abstract happening to someone else far away.

3.     The sense of hopelessness. Climate change is a function of the global actions of centuries of industrialization and population growth. Individuals may feel that the problem of climate change is too big to address by oneself, and that our actions will not have any meaningful impact, or that the personal and short-term sacrifices required are too great. When faced with such a seemingly impossible problem, we may feel paralyzed and resigned to inaction.


In addition to these individual factors, there are very powerful population, cultural, geo-political, and economic dynamics that make change difficult. Countries have taken different positions, but the global scale of the problem has not been met with effective global leadership and commitment to address it. Consider the following:

·        The population of humans is very large, approaching 8 billion and increasing by 74 million annually. Among mammals, humans are second only to mice and rats (but human beings have far greater adverse impact on the environment than all other species).

·        To date, politicians have been more motivated by party and national self-interests over global preservation. Political actions on climate change are often more symbolic than substantive, or considered voluntary, and rarely enforced. Furthermore, political strategies are invariably focused on winning the next election, a dynamic which causes politicians to sacrifice the distant future to gain near term advantage.

·        In the currently prevailing system of unconstrained capitalism, businesses are rewarded for short-term profit over long-term sustainability, even when it results in the exploitation of natural environment. The relentless quest for profit and growth disregards the true costs to people and environment.

·        Consumers are increasingly driven by the greed and desire for a life of comfort and pleasure. Humans are estimated to have consumed more resources in the last 50 years than the whole of humanity before us.

·        Last but not least, the age of internet technology has helped make mass communication possible and accessible. This has helped drive awareness and education about climate change. However, the technology has also enabled the spread of false information on media and online resources. This causes people to misunderstand facts. Some organizations and institutions even harness the power of the internet to purposefully spread wrong information and sabotage efforts to protect the environment.

Together, these forces have made it very challenging to address climate change with the unity, urgency, and magnitude of action that it deserves.

Despite these challenges, the good news is that that people globally are gradually becoming more aware of climate change, more accepting of human causes, and more motivated than ever before to address it.

For more information on a Jain perspective about climate change, the JAINA Ahimsak Eco-Vegan Committee has prepared a detailed statement. We encourage everyone to click on this link to read the Jain Declaration on the Climate Crisis that has been endorsed by JAINA and also sign the declaration on Climate Change to make a public commitment to action. 

In the next installment of this series, we will discuss why climate change matters for any person, and in particular from a Jain perspective. The final article will explain what we can do to stop climate change and protect the environment.