From A Young Writer's Pen:
The Jain Theory of Karma In Action
by Rajeev Mehta (2)
Ajay: Grandma, grandma, I have a bad headache! May I have some aspirin or some other medicine?
Grandma: Well, Ajay, you are young. You eat healthy vegetarian food. You slept well last night. I am surprised that you have a headache. It seems to me that you do not need aspirin or any other medicine.
Ajay: Grandma, please give me some medicine. I am really suffering.
Grandma: Ajay, please be calm. Let us first figure out why you have this headache. Tell me what happened at school today.
(The doorbell rings.)
Ajay: That must be Sanjay.
Grandma: Why don't you go downstairs and help your brother bring in his books. I would like to talk with you both together.
(Ajay leaves. Later, he returns with Sanjay.)
Sanjay: NAMASTE, grandma.
Grandma: Sanjay, how was your day at school today?
Sanjay: Oh, the same as always.
Grandma: Do you have a lot of homework?
Sanjay: I have three projects due tomorrow, but I finished them all yesterday. Today, I submitted them and got A's in all.
Grandma: Very good, Sanjay. I am happy for you. Now Ajay, tell me what happened in school today.
Ajay: Nothing, but I did not do very well on the science test and I got a C.
Grandma: Anything else?
Ajay: Nothing.
Grandma: It seems that you are trying to keep something from me. Please tell me what else happened. Speaking the truth is good for all.
Ajay: Well, I cheated on my math test.
(Grandma gasps in disbelief.)
Grandma: Didn't the teacher suspect you?
Ajay: When the teacher found out that cheating was going on and he looked at me, I lied to him.
Sanjay: What did you tell your teacher?
Ajay: I told him that Steve, who sits next to me, was cheating off me.
Grandma: I cannot believe that you would behave like that. Why did you bring up Steve's name?
Ajay: Steve is the top student in the class. I thought that if I told the teacher that he was cheating, the teacher would think that I was smarter than Steve.
Grandma: Do you understand what you have done? You cheated on the test and you lied. Moreover, you were jealous of Steve's success. No wonder you have a bad headache.
Sanjay: Grandma, how can lying, cheating and jealousy cause a headache?
Grandma: Everybody knows that lying or cheating is wrong. We commit violence of our own feelings when we lie or cheat. Similarly, thoughts like anger, jealousy and greed are part of violence. When we do such things, we have fear of getting caught. Such pressure can cause headaches and other diseases. According to the Jain theory of karma, these are bad karmas.
Sanjay: All religions teach that things like lying, cheating, greed and jealousy are bad. What is so special about the Jain theory of karma?
Grandma: The Jain theory of karma gives us freedom. It says that our thoughts and deeds make good and bad things happen in our lives. We do not do good things because of God's command. We do not do anything because of peer pressure. We do not depend on God for our well-being. Remember,
Our minds are for understanding good things.
Our eyes are for seeing good things.
Our ears are for hearing good things.
Our mouths are for saying good things.
Footnotes:
1. Reprinted from 'Studies In Jainism: Primer', pages 45-47.
2. Son of Krishna Kumar and Chandra Mehta, Manhassett NY
Essence of humanity is knowledge, essence of knowledge is rationalism and essence of rationalism is good conduct. Remember, only good conduct gives rise to peace and equanimity.
-Acharya Kundkund