An Ahimsa Crisis: You Decide: The Relationship Between Investment, Business, And Ahimsa - How Do I Choose?

Ahimsa and one’s personal work are directly inter-connected. One cannot nor should not separate the two. There is no justification for making a living by himsatmak (violent) means and then coming home, practicing vegetarianism, and doing all the religious rituals. The practice of ahimsa is a “24/7/365” daily and committed business. The doors of ahimsa are never closed.

Unfortunately, some people have created a mental firewall between ahimsa and making a living. As a result, some Jains are now engaged in all sorts of businesses that are not appropriate. Many of these businesses are outright himsak. Jains today trade and deal in products derived by and from torturing or killing animals, birds, reptiles, and insects. This category includes businesses involved in the trading of items of silk, leather, wool, pearls, coral, ivory, shellac, and many animal-based medicines and food items. The same applies to investments where one directly or indirectly makes his living by supporting industries and businesses that engage in himsak products.

I wonder how many Jains will stop and think that it is improper to buy shares and stocks of McDonalds, for example, or companies which by their very nature of business kill animals, sell meat and meat products, pollute the environment, or design, manufacture, and sell products that kill people and other forms of life. Examples include machineries for slaughter houses, for wars and warfare, guns, bombs, ammunition, cigarettes, opium, liquor, gutkas (tobacco-based materials in India), and drugs - —these are nothing but himsa supported by the investors and traders.