Pooja Baid
I have lived most of my life proudly claiming that I am a Jain, without realising who Jains really are. I definitely got the basics right, worshiped Lord Mahavira and our Acharyas with devotion, but beyond that, it was just a religious sect that I belonged to by birth. It is only recently that I have begun to accept it as a way of life, as a means of sustenance. Only recently has it begun to influence my thoughts and decisions.
To be honest the journey began with curiosity and skepticism rather than faith. It took me a while to understand the core principles because it totally uprooted my existing beliefs. I had grown up believing that we are a part of God and God showers us with everything in our lives, so we should pray to Him for continued happiness and peace. It was a comfortable way of life because all fingers could be pointed at the Almighty for everything that happened. Jain philosophy threw me out of this comfort zone. The ideology that God does not direct your life (1), and only you are responsible for everything that happens was difficult to accept. It brought an end to the blame game and brought me back to center spot, making 'Purusharta' (2) or 'personal vigour' the hero. I started focusing on what I can do to improve a situation rather than worrying about why I am in it and how God alone can help me out of it. It wasn't easy to take responsibility head on, but having done that, the rest became easy to cope with.
After accepting this reality, I was stuck in juxtaposition with family members that strongly believed in Vedantic philosophy. Fortunately, the Jain principle of 'Anekanta' came to my recuse. According to this philosophy opposing views of reality co-exist and are in harmony (3). So, it is only natural for others to have a different opinion and we need to respect it. Not just religious beliefs, differences arise in all walks of life and I have started seeing it as another perspective rather than a disagreement. It has broadened my spectrum of understanding and tolerance. It remains a challenge to be objective in all situations, but after some time the reality of 'Anekanta' re-surfaces to iron out the differences.
The broadened spectrum was not limited to my interaction with other people but included all living creatures. Respecting their existence and acknowledging that they have feelings, completely changed my view of the outside world (4). All these years I have been concerned about how my actions affect me and my dear ones, but not how they constantly affect so many other 'jivas' both physically and emotionally. The only way in which one can limit the chain reaction is by being conscious and alert all the time. A little slack can cost a lot, may even cause some "jiva' it's life. Initially I felt so shaken up with this reality that I wanted to remain confined in a room with minimal interaction with anybody else. But, soon I realized that this was not the solution. What is crucial is self-awareness and compassion for others (5). If that is missing even being confined to one place will not help.
In spite of being alert it is impossible to practice complete 'Ahimsa' or nonviolence, making it important to ask for forgiveness. 'Tassa Michchhami Dukkadam' are magical words that become meaningless if used for intentionally reckless behaviour. What won me over about Jainism is that it deeply understands human behaviour and makes provision for errors and omissions.
Although from the surface Jainsim appears to be a strict and restricted faith, it is actually pragmatic and holistic. It surprises me how facts stated in Agamas thousands of years ago are being discovered by scientists only in recent years. It brings in a feeling of pride and also makes me question my thirst for scientific collateral and proof. Modern research need not be used to validate the core principles, but it can certainly provide tangible resources for a better understanding. For instance, it was difficult for me to imagine how water-bodied 'jivas' react to stimuli, because I couldn't see it physically. Dr. Masaru Emoto's study of frozen water crystals helped me picture exactly how the shape and alignment of water crystals change when they are exposed to different words and emotions (6).
"Becoming a Jain" is an ongoing process and I must confess that my journey has just begun. I was proud to be a Jain then and am proud now; the only difference is that I know what to take pride in. I am proud of the fact that my religion can be simply applied to day to day life, can guide me in difficult times, can make me more compassionate and above all, it can bring me closer to my true self.
Om Arham!