Observations & Views:
Compiled by Duli Chandra Jain
Dr. Sagar Mal Jain has depicted the Jain theory of non-absolutism or multiplicity of viewpoints (ANEKAANTAVAAD) in the following words: "Jain thinkers hold the view that reality is complex. It has many facets, various attributes and various modes. It can be viewed and understood from different angles and thus various judgements may be made about it. Even two contradictory statements about an object may hold true. Since we have finite capability, we can know or experience only a few facets of reality at one time. The reality in its totality cannot be grasped by us." (1) Another feature of the basic concepts of Jainism related to non-absolutism is the theory of relativism (SYAADAVAAD), which consists of the following seven predicates: (2)
1. The positive aspect (SYAAD ASTI)
2. The negative aspect (SYAAD NAASTI)
3. The confluence of positive and negative aspects (SYAAD ASTI-NAASTI)
4. The inexpressible aspect (SYAAD AVAKTAVYA)
5. The confluence of positive and inexpressible aspects (SYAAD ASTI-AVAKTAVYA)
6. The confluence of negative and inexpressible aspects (SYAAD NAASTI-AVAKTAVYA)
7. The confluence of positive, negative and inexpressible aspects (SYAAD ASTI-NAASTI-AVAKTAVYA)
It is observed that, for most part, the sophisticated and splendid concepts such as multiplicity of viewpoints are confined to lofty presentations and passionate discussions about Jainism. In general, our practice of Jainism is limited to performing meditation and introspection, visiting temples and performing worship, bidding (auction) to participate in certain rituals and making charitable contributions. We do articulate our belief in virtues such as nonviolence and non-possessiveness. But we forget that Jainism is the science of living and we are expected to keep concepts such as freedom of each individual soul, relativism and multiplicity of viewpoints in mind in everyday life. Rational conduct entails that we examine the various aspects of a situation at hand in the light of rational perception and rational knowledge. We should carefully scrutinize each and every aspect of our conduct in the light of the basic concepts of Jainism.
Relativism and multiplicity of viewpoints constitute a highly sophisticated aspect of Jain philosophy. Here is an interesting example involving these concepts. These days there is considerable discussion about outsourcing. Is it beneficial to the USA? There is no simple 'yes' or 'no' answer to this question. A common perception is that outsourcing involves sending jobs from countries such as USA to places like India,which is profitable to big business and to the developing countries. However, consider the following facets of the issue: (3)
"Sending American jobs overseas can actually benefit American workers."
"Going to Bangalore to get a guy to answer a computer question or an XM Radio question can save money."
"What you're not seeing, though, is what they're doing, what they're doing with that saved money. Where are they investing it? What jobs are they creating?"
"We're also creating jobs as a result of it. They (Indians) watch our documentary. You go into these call centers (in India)? What do you see? You see H.P. Computers. You see Carrier air conditioning. You see Microsoft windows on the computers."
"Yes, what goes around comes around. If you don't build up a middle class in India and China to buy all the high-end things that we sell, then there aren't going to be any jobs here."
"OK, you want to start a company in Silicon Valley today. All right, look at how some of the new companies that are started out there. Who is on this side of the ocean? The chief financial officer, the chief technology officer, the chief marketing officer, the vice president, and the senior management. They're here because the market is here. Who is in India?"
"Basically, the designers and the software writers are here. The high-end jobs are here. The fact that they can outsource some jobs to India allows them to innovate much quicker, much more cheaply and sell to much bigger markets. Look at the cell phone industry."
However, there is the down side of this new system. 'If you have both people working a combination of 70 or 80 hours a week, missing time with the kids, missing vacation time, missing the old habit of coming home at 5:00 or 5:30, with the sun still up, throwing the football or the baseball around and having a little time after dinner, a little time before dinner and still have a full income coming in. Those days are gone. We're going nuts. People are working so hard. And we're working hard to compete with other people around the world, because there's a guy in Bangalore who will work for $5 an hour."
It should be remarked that each one of the above points can be viewed from all seven predicates of relativism, such as the positive aspect, the negative aspect and the inexpressibility aspect.
The moral of the story is that in each and every endeavor in our daily life, we should carefully weigh the pros and cons of our decisions and actions. Our practice of nonviolence entails such scrutiny. Only then will we be able to promote welfare and equity in society.
Compiled by Duli Chandra Jain
Many times, Jains are questioned about 'Ten Commandments of Jainism.' Sometimes, even the Jains try to concoct ten commandments of Jainism. Before answering this question, let us look at the 'Ten Commandments' presented below:
1. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
4. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
5. Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
6. Thou shalt not kill.
7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
8. Thou shalt not steal.
9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor's.
The first four commandments should be viewed in the light of the following Jain concepts:
Haribhadrasuri says, (4) "I venerate all those who are free from all vices and adorned with all virtues, be they Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva or Jin." Acharya Hemchandra wrote, (5) "I worship those who have destroyed attachment and aversion, the seeds of birth and death, be they Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva or Jin."
Further, in view of our concept of nonviolence, Jains should refrain from making claims of superiority of our beliefs.
The remaining commandments, in essence, encompass the virtues of nonviolence, truth, non-stealing, purity of body and mind, and non-possessiveness. However, there is a significant difference in the Jain approach to ethics. Jains believe in the independence of each individual soul. Thus the Jain code of ethics is not a 'system of laws' or commandments handed down by a higher authority, and thus the talk of Jain commandments is misplaced. It is a natural consequence of a rational approach based upon the fundamental tenets of Jainism. In YOGA SHASTRA, Acharya Hem Chandra writes:
SHRUTAAMBHODHERADHIGAMYA, SAMPRADAAYAACHCHA SADGUROH |
SWASAMVEDANATASHCHAAPI, YOGASHASTRAM VIRACHYATE |4|
I have composed YOGASHASTRA after a deep study of the ocean of scriptures, on accumulating the traditional knowledge imparted by master teachers, and, in the final analysis, on the basis of my own experiences and interpretation.
This implies that we Jains are expected to study the scriptures, participate in religious discourses and discussions, and, thus grasp the concepts of rational perception, rational knowledge and rational conduct. Then we should consider our own experiences and determine the conduct that is expected to promote genuine happiness and peace for the individual self and the society. Basically, this is the true practice of nonviolence.
Footnotes:
1. 'The Philosophical Foundation of Religious Tolerance in Jainism' by Dr. Sagar Mal Jain, published in 'Studies In Jainism: Reader 2', page 160. Back up
2. For details, please see 'The Doctrine of Relativism' by Shri T. U. Mehta, published in 'Studies In Jainism: Reader 2', pages 141-147. Back up
3. Mr. Thomas Friedman, the Pulitzer Prize winning columnist for "The New York Times", presented these ideas on the MSNBC Show 'Hardball with Chris Matthews' on June 2, 2004. He is the author of the book 'The Other Side of Outsourcing.' Back up
4. LOKATATTVANIRNAYA Jain Granth Prakashak Sabha, Ahmedabad, Vikram 1994. Back up
5. MAHADEV STOTRA, 44, published in PARAMAARTH SWAADHYAAYA GRANTH SAMGRAH. Back up