Dr. Sulekh Chand Jain
The truth of the matter is that Jains don’t have a monopoly in having a rich history and culture, and in serving the public good. Many other religions and religious communities have similar attributes and contributions.
Jains tend to be affluent, but so are many other members of communities of faith. Jain sadhus lead an austere way of life, but there are also similar ascetics in many other faith traditions. Jains emphasize yoga, meditation, and fasting. Yet here, too, one can find identical practices in non-Jain traditions as well.
Like many non-Jains, some Jains also worship idols. Similarly, like many othernon-Jains, some Jains also believe in the existence of some kind of supernatural power, which many religions call “God.”
Outwardly, nearly all Jains with an Indian ethnic background have facial features, complexions, dress habit, and celebrations of all major life events similar to most other inhabitants of the Indian subcontinent.
So, what is the distinguishing mark of a Jain? Nothing really. There is no identifiable, unique attribute possessed by a Jain. Jains are like everybody else. But, if one has to point to the single most notable attribute of a Jain, it would surely be ahimsa. Ahimsa not in talk, not in slogan, not in worship, but ahimsa in continuous practice, inside and outside the temple and places of worship, and as a way of life and all the time. Ahimsa should be the nature (savabhaava), conduct and character of a Jain. Only when one is practicing ahimsa can one be called a Jain. Ahimsa is the core, the identity, the religion, and the ornament of a Jain. Being a Jain is more than a title relating to religious identity. It signifies that the person believes in ahimsa and practices ahimsa in his journey of life. So, to that end:
…a Jain is the one who is a true symbol of nonviolence, love, compassion, peace, harmony, and oneness with all. Ahimsa is likened to compassion, the ability to feel for another’s suffering. A Jain is one who feels the pain of others and actively and proactively does his very best to reduce or alleviate that pain.
Ahimsa, this core philosophy of Jains, cannot be fully understood without first understanding the nature and the role that Karma doctrine plays. According to Jain philosophy, ahimsa and karmas are inter-related and hence a clear understanding of the two and their co-destiny or interdependence is essential.
Jains believe that himsa is the sole cause of the inflow, binding, and increasing of the karmic load and only ahimsa leads to the stopping and shedding - and thus the reduction of the karmic load. Now we will turn in earnest to karma and its mechanisms - ahimsa or himsa.
