An Ahimsa Crisis: You Decide: Mixed Marriages: Outside The Tradition, Inter-Sect, Intercaste, And Inter-Religious

Not long ago, Jains used to live in close proximity to one another within small geographical areas. Being small in number, Jains normally married with Jains and to a great extent within the same caste, sub-caste and sect. Due to the migration of Jains all over the globe, globalization, education, travel, instant communication, business, and other far-reaching connections, more and more marriageable boys and girls now search for spouses outside the tradition in which they were born and raised. This has started causing some serious tension and conflicts within family structures and hence himsa to some degree (depending upon the orthodoxy of the families).

I often hear of such cases. Sometimes the differences are very minor; they may involve relationships between members of different sects or sub-sects of Jainism, or just a different caste or gotra within the same sect. I have seen families falling apart either temporarily or permanently. I wonder: how many of us stop and think of ahimsa and anekantavada here? I sincerely hope we have not made them into mere slogans.

Now you decide: is this behavior consistent with ahimsa?