Dr. Sulekh Chand Jain
The big and short answer is affirmatively, “NO.” How can a community that talks of ahimsa all the times and on that basis distinguishes itself from all others, justify and condone the use and trading of silk and its products. Silk worms are not one- sensed creatures. They are 2-3 sensed. For just one yard of silk (used in sarees and other items) one is responsible for taking away the live of at least 50,000 -100,000 living insects. Jains avoid the torture and killing of 1-5 sensed creatures but shut their eyes when it comes to the use and trading in silk which, like leather, is purely a product of himsa.
How can silk be purer than cotton? Pure silk cannot be made without killing the silkworms. How can then a product that represents the killing and murder of thousands of silkworms be used in poojas in the temples? In my opinion, this is not right.
My Jain brothers and sisters, I urge you to consider not to trade in and use a product (silk), which is based on pure himsa and nothing but himsa. There are many other businesses and clothing materials that Jain community should consider for trade and use.
Use of silk sarees, kurtas, jacket, ties, and dhotees should be avoided. Cotton and other man made materials are much better for that purpose.
The following accounts demonstrate examples of personal choice in promoting ahimsa.
- Personally, I have taken a vow not to use silk in any shape or form. I avoid all suiting, shirts, neck ties, scarves, draperies or any such products that even have a small quantity of silk in them. Please try it. It is such a great feeling. In the same fashion, I will not buy, trade in, accept or present any item to any one that contains silk.
- About twenty four years ago, I went to attend a Diksha ceremony of a Jain sadhvi (nun) in India. After the ceremony, I had a chance to speak for a few minutes to a very good size gathering of men and women. Here I mentioned, “The girl who just became a sadhvi has renounced everything. We all have come to attend this solemn ceremony. What are we going to renounce?”
I reminded my audience about silk and the inherent himsa in its production. Immediately quite a good number of people (both male and female) stood up and took a vow not to trade in, buy, or wear silk any more. I was so pleased. I feel, one simple but important awareness about ahimsa in our clothing will lead to many other such awareness in other items of our daily use or business.
- In November 2009, I was in India and visited a small town in Western UP. I came to know that in the Jain sthanak there next day, the group of Jain sadhus will end their 4 months Chaturmas and the community has organized a big function to thank and bid the sadhus farewell. I too attended this function.
At the end, I was requested to address the gathering. Here again, I asked the audience that after the pravachans and tapasyas during 4 months and paryushan, what offerings the audience is going to give to the departing sadhus? I suggested that men and women should take a vow of not to use silk and wool (wool will be discussed later here) for a year. My hope here was that if someone is willing to give up the use of silk and wool for a year, most probably it will be permanent and he and she will think twice before going back again to its use. Here again quite a large number of men and women took this vow.
I hope you too can do this but first it must start with you with a thought that you too might not manufacture, trade, buy, use, accept or present silk and its product in any shape and form.
Now you decide: is this behavior consistent with ahimsa?
