Jainism and the Environment

Table of Contents, Part 1

• Mahavir Bhagwan’s Teachings
• In the Context of the 3 A’s
• Ahimsā
• Anekāntavād
• Aparigraha
• Where Do We Draw the Line?

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- cont’d -

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Table of Contents, Part 2

• Eco-friendly Jain Practices
• Vegetarianism
• Veganism
• Conscious Consumption
• Abstinence from Alcohol
• Restrictions on Travel
• Summary

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Mahavir Bhagwan’s Teachings

“All life is bound together by mutual

support and interdependence.”

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This quote, by Mahavir Bhagwan, can be found in the Tattvartha Sutra. What does it mean?

• All organisms are connected - to affect one, whether favorably or adversely, is to affect the others, including yourself.

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Mahavir Bhagwan’s Teachings, cont’d

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“We harm and kill other lives because of our greed and possessiveness.”

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“One who neglects or disregards the existence of earth, air, fire, water and vegetation disregards his own existence.”

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Here are two more quotes, also by Mahavir Bhagwan. These reaffirm that life is interconnected. He explains that failing to think of our environment will ultimately keep our own souls from achieving Moksh (bliss).

In the Context of the 3 As

The three main tenets of Jainism, or the 3 As, are as follows:

• Ahimsā (nonviolence)
• Anekāntavād (multiplicity of viewpoints)
• Aparigraha (non-possessiveness)

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Ahimsā

• To abide by the principle of ahimsā means to respect all living beings and their right to exist and to live
• Jainism says that we should keep the well-being of every organism, no matter how small, in mind
• Violence towards others results in violence towards oneself, and so we must take care of the environment that supports us

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Ahimsā, cont’d

• This includes forms of indirect violence, such as contributing to pollution and excessive or toxic waste
• A few ways in which to practice ahimsā include:

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walking on the sidewalk instead of the grass

following a vegetarian/vegan diet

minimizing waste

Anekāntavād

• Our environment consists of more than plants and animals - people are included as well!
• To practice anekāntavād is to take time to understand where others may be coming from and be mindful of different perspectives

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• This leads to respectful discussion, which can help in enacting positive change on national and international levels

Aparigraha

• To practice non-possessiveness to the best of our abilities is to making use of only what is necessary
• Some ways in which to practice aparigraha include
• Limiting clothing and shoe purchases
• Buying only as much food as needed to prevent waste

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Where Do We Draw the Line?

• Completely fulfilling each of the three A’s can be challenging, and so you should do your best to reduce your negative environmental impact as much as possible
• One must understand their needs and wants, and limit their wants in order to minimize consumption and violence
• In this way, nature can flourish with minimal interference and destruction

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What environmentally-friendly practices do Jains follow?

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Vegetarianism

1/3

• Jains are vegetarian, and do not consume items including, but not limited to, meat, fish, and eggs
• The meat industry is responsible for immense pain and suffering in breeding and killing animals
• While Jains follow this diet primarily to uphold Ahimsa, there are also several environmental benefits

Did you know

of the surface of North America is devoted to grazing for livestock? Much of this land had to be cleared and/or deforested.

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Vegetarianism, cont’d

2500

gallons

• Meat production requires several resources in large amounts, including water and energy (often in fossil fuel form)
• Waste released by the industry pollutes our water, air, and land
• Deforestation, carried out to create land for livestock grazing, harms entire ecosystems and only exacerbates global warming

Did you know

it takes

of water to produce 1 pound of meat?

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Veganism

5-6

years

• Some Jains choose to take their diets one step further and avoid all animal-based products, such as honey
• In particular, the dairy industry is extremely violent, from most calves being killed for meat to almost perpetually keeping cows pregnant
• Slaughterhouses often release toxic pollutants when killing these animals

Did you know most cows are killed when their milk production drops, usually at

of age, even though their life expectancy is 15-20 years?

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Conscious Consumption

1500

silkworm pupae

• Jains do not use items such as fur, silk, and leather, as their production inflicts incredible harm to the animals they are procured from
• In general, Jains limit their material possessions, which helps reduce the amount of solid waste in landfills
• This, in turn, lessens carbon dioxide and methane emissions

Did you know

are killed in the process of making 100 grams of silk?

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Abstinence from Alcohol

• Jains do not drink alcohol due to its mind-altering nature
• Once deluded, one is more likely to experience the four kashāyas (anger, ego, deceit, and greed), as well as to unintentionally commit violence of some kind (physical, verbal, mental)
• Alcohol production often involves animal-based products, and the production process can generate large amounts of toxic waste

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Restrictions on Travel

915

million tons

• Jains are encouraged to follow the 12 vrats, or vows, two of which include the dig pariman and desavagasik vrats
• These vows are self-imposed geographical limitations for the day
• Reducing travel avoids committing violence through fuel combustion and reduces greenhouse gas emissions

Did you know worldwide flights produced

of carbon dioxide in 2019, which is about 2% of global human-induced carbon dioxide?

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Fun & Easy Ways to be Eco-Friendly

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Reuse plastic bags in place of trash bags! You can weave plastic bags into rugs and baskets.

Upcycle old belongings! These stationary holders are actually repurposed mason jars.

Purchase clothes at a discount by going thrifting - these items have been previously worn and don’t contribute to new waste.

In Summary

• “Parasparopagraho Jivānām” - living beings (souls) render service to one another
• Any action, speech, or thought we engage in will not only affect our own souls, but due to our interdependence with all living beings, affect the environment as well
• While eliminating environmental impact is impossible, one should do their best to reduce that impact to the best of their ability
• Several Jain practices are also eco-friendly!

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Young Jains of America (YJA)

Est. 1991

www.yja.org

Young Jains of America (YJA)

Est. 1991

Jai Jinendra

If there are any mistakes in this presentation, we kindly ask for your forgiveness and Micchami Dukkadam.

Young Jains of America is an entity of the Federation of Jain Associations in North America, a non-profit tax-exempt organization (IRS Code Section 501 (c)(3)).