WWF-India
Jainism is fundamentally a religion of ecology and has turned ecology into a religion. It has enabled Jains to create an environment-friendly value system and code of conduct. Because of the insistence on rationality in the Jain tradition, Jains are always ready and willing to look positively and with enthusiasm upon environmental causes. In India and abroad, they are in the forefront of bringing greater awareness and putting into practice their cardinal principles of ecology. Their programmes have been modest and mostly self-funded through volunteers.
Although Jainism is one of the oldest religions, it is among the most recent to join the league of other great religions of the world for the preservation and maintenance of ecological balance. It became the eighth faith of the world to submit a Declaration on Nature and thus join the WWF Network on Conservation and Religion. All faiths in the Network have categorically stated that their beliefs lead them to conservation.
The Jain Declaration on Nature highlights the gist of Jainism:
Parasparopagraho jivanam: ‘All life is bound together by mutual support and interdependence.’ It is an aphorism from the Tattvartha-Sutra, the standard sacred text of Jainism. It defines the scope of modern ecology as it stresses the fundamental principle that all aspects of nature belong together and are bound in a physical as well as metaphysical relationship.
Samyaktva: This stresses the observance of equanimity to animate and inanimate substances and objects. Its practice encourages an attitude of give and take and of live and let live. It also offers a pragmatic peace plan based not on the domination of mature but on an equanimity of mind devoted to the preservation of the balance of the universe.
Jivadaya: This promotes compassion towards all living beings; it is the positive aspect of the principle of Ahimsa and it means caring for all living beings, tending, protecting and serving them. It entails universal friendliness, forgiveness and fearlessness. Its observance leads to actions that have great relevance to contemporary environmental concerns.
Human beings possess rationality and intuition. As a highly evolved form of life, they have a moral responsibility in their mutual dealings and in their relationship with the rest of the universe. Hence, this conception of life, in which human beings have an ethical responsibility, has made the Jain tradition a cradle for the creed of environmental protection and harmony.
The presentation of the Jain declaration on Nature evidenced the beginning of Jains reuniting themselves, worldwide. The philosophy of Tirthankara Mahavira goes beyond the principles of modern science; it teaches us to live a life that allows all elements of nature to remain in peace and harmony, without fear. Fearlessness is the foundation of supreme truth. It is rooted in non-violence. The present state of the earth is spoilt and deformed. Only through non-violence can we survive.
The Institute of Jainology was instrumental in forging worldwide unity of Jains on basic issues of the Jain tradition and on the highest priority of environmental issues. It has resulted in greater ecological awareness and responsibility amongst Jains. It has embarked modestly on several programmes and has encouraged many other programmes after the Declaration on Nature prepared and presented on behalf of all the Jains of the world. These initiatives have been well received by Jain communities through out the world
DISCLAIMER
The views expressed in the Article above are Author’s personal views and kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it. Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing."
Courtesy: Times of India: The Speaking Tree: April 20 ,2019
WWF-India
Jainism is fundamentally a religion of ecology and has turned ecology into a religion. It has enabled Jains to create an environment-friendly value system and code of conduct. Because of the insistence on rationality in the Jain tradition, Jains are always ready and willing to look positively and with enthusiasm upon environmental causes. In India and abroad, they are in the forefront of bringing greater awareness and putting into practice their cardinal principles of ecology. Their programmes have been modest and mostly self-funded through volunteers.
Although Jainism is one of the oldest religions, it is among the most recent to join the league of other great religions of the world for the preservation and maintenance of ecological balance. It became the eighth faith of the world to submit a Declaration on Nature and thus join the WWF Network on Conservation and Religion. All faiths in the Network have categorically stated that their beliefs lead them to conservation.
The Jain Declaration on Nature highlights the gist of Jainism:
Parasparopagraho jivanam: ‘All life is bound together by mutual support and interdependence.’ It is an aphorism from the Tattvartha-Sutra, the standard sacred text of Jainism. It defines the scope of modern ecology as it stresses the fundamental principle that all aspects of nature belong together and are bound in a physical as well as metaphysical relationship.
Samyaktva: This stresses the observance of equanimity to animate and inanimate substances and objects. Its practice encourages an attitude of give and take and of live and let live. It also offers a pragmatic peace plan based not on the domination of mature but on an equanimity of mind devoted to the preservation of the balance of the universe.
Jivadaya: This promotes compassion towards all living beings; it is the positive aspect of the principle of Ahimsa and it means caring for all living beings, tending, protecting and serving them. It entails universal friendliness, forgiveness and fearlessness. Its observance leads to actions that have great relevance to contemporary environmental concerns.
Human beings possess rationality and intuition. As a highly evolved form of life, they have a moral responsibility in their mutual dealings and in their relationship with the rest of the universe. Hence, this conception of life, in which human beings have an ethical responsibility, has made the Jain tradition a cradle for the creed of environmental protection and harmony.
The presentation of the Jain declaration on Nature evidenced the beginning of Jains reuniting themselves, worldwide. The philosophy of Tirthankara Mahavira goes beyond the principles of modern science; it teaches us to live a life that allows all elements of nature to remain in peace and harmony, without fear. Fearlessness is the foundation of supreme truth. It is rooted in non-violence. The present state of the earth is spoilt and deformed. Only through non-violence can we survive.
The Institute of Jainology was instrumental in forging worldwide unity of Jains on basic issues of the Jain tradition and on the highest priority of environmental issues. It has resulted in greater ecological awareness and responsibility amongst Jains. It has embarked modestly on several programmes and has encouraged many other programmes after the Declaration on Nature prepared and presented on behalf of all the Jains of the world. These initiatives have been well received by Jain communities through out the world
DISCLAIMER
The views expressed in the Article above are Author’s personal views and kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it. Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing."
Courtesy: Times of India: The Speaking Tree: April 20 ,2019