Jainism

[spencer]

Have any of you considered Jainism? If not, why not? It seems to be the most vegan-friendly religion (of the older religions). It requires at least vegetarian diets among all of its followers. You can find vegetarians and vegans in all religions, but it seems only Jainism requires it. I don't count new religious movements, cults, or recent denominations since they had more up to date, modern information about how bad the meat diet is to the environment, nutrition, etc. Jainism is about 3,000 years ago and mandated vegan diets way before it was cool.

So why not be a Jain?

 

[Second Summer]

Have any of you considered Jainism? If not, why not? It seems to be the most vegan-friendly religion (of the older religions). It requires at least vegetarian diets among all of its followers. You can find vegetarians and vegans in all religions, but it seems only Jainism requires it. I don't count new religious movements, cults, or recent denominations since they had more up to date, modern information about how bad the meat diet is to the environment, nutrition, etc. Jainism is about 3,000 years ago and mandated vegan diets way before it was cool.

So why not be a Jain?

First of all because I'm already a vegan .... and an atheist humanist

It's nice that there is a vegan-friendly traditional religion out there, but I find the idea of souls and mind-body dualism a little 20th century.

 

[alexw32]

Interesting, I used to think that buddhism welcomes veganism the most.

 

[rogerjolly]

Have any of you considered Jainism? If not, why not?

I am not at all sure that anyone actually goes out searching for a religion to follow. That would be a bit like desperately needing some vitamin C and spotting some Florida grapefruit in a shop. You think, “They all look good….. Mmm….. Yes….. I’ll have THAT one.”

Many individuals often think of themselves as being ever so very important and cannot imagine their complete and utter extinction. So, there must be an afterlife.

In the West there is a god who rewards or punishes us according to our behaviour. Over the centuries this has been a great tool for guiding and even politically manipulating society. “Religion is the opiate of the people.”

For the sad or the lonely or those who need certainty here is something to grasp tightly. Personally, I do not need an invisible friend to help me through.

In Jainism people will not forever be sentenced to hell or rewarded with heaven because of their actions in their one single stab at being human. Instead they are reincarnated and their next existence is decided by the karma of the previous one. Similar incentives then.

John Lennon used the idea of karma to brilliantly convey the idea that our actions greatly affect our one and only life: “Instant karma's gonna get you.”

Roger.

 

[spencer]

No, about half or more of Buddhists eat meat. Most traditions have a rule that it is okay to eat as long as someone else does the killing. And that's hypocritical of course. Let someone else do the dirty work. They have a precept against killing but for some reason believe it's okay if someone else does the dirty deed.

 

[spencer]

For the sad or the lonely or those who need certainty here is something to grasp tightly. Personally, I do not need an invisible friend to help me through.

Jainism is an atheistic religion, no need for the invisible friend.

Jainism and non-creationism - Wikipedia

 

[Lou]

"The Jaina philosophy assumes that the soul (Jiva in Jainism, Atman in Hinduism) exists and is eternal, passing through cycles of transmigration and rebirth. After death, reincarnation into a new body is asserted to be instantaneous in early Jaina texts."
- Wikipedia

A lot of religions believe in reincarnation.

"Pythagoras (c. 571- c. 497 BCE) was a Greek philosopher whose teachings emphasized the immortality and transmigration of the soul (reincarnation), virtuous, humane behavior toward all living things...."
- Pythagoras

I'm a vegan because I don't think its right to kill animals because they taste good.

People who believe in reincarnation don't kill animals because
- in their next life, they may be one
-or that lamb they just slaughtered or that ant they just stepped on might have been their grandmother.

I like my reasons better.

 

[Sax]

Jainism seems to take ahimsa/non-violence more seriously than other religions and I definitely respect it for that.

But the Jain diet excludes garlic. I'd rather be reincarnated as a dung beetle than give up garlic.

 

[spencer]

Jainism seems to take ahimsa/non-violence more seriously than other religions and I definitely respect it for that.

But the Jain diet excludes garlic. I'd rather be reincarnated as a dung beetle than give up garlic.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away. A garlic a day, keeps everyone else away.

 

[Lou]

I remember in College Biology we did a lab experiment. We used several different things that were touted antibacterial including some prescription antibiotics. they were put into petri dishes with agar and then contaminated. If I remember correctly, the garlic did the best job of killing bacteria.

 

[Jamie in Chile]

Jainism is the best religion I've ever heard. If you must choose one, it seems a reasonable choice. Vegetarianism, minimalism, non violence, truth. Looks great. One negative point looks they might have some old fashioned conservative fear of sex in there. This is what I think based on a 5 minute skim read of the wikipedia article extensive reading and my expert analysis.

But why choose a religion at all? I don't need a religion to tell me to be a vegetarian and tell the truth and not be greedy about possessions. I figured it out for myself. Science, nature, the love and family, good friends, good books can provide the inspiration and meaning that is needed in life.

 

[silva]

Why not be a Jain?
Why be a Jain?
I have no answer to either, nor reason to consider them. I have no attraction to make up answers to things I can't know. I do know empathy and need, and know the human body functions best eating a plant based diet. I know that raising foods that are best for our environment are plants. I know it's best for our economy. I also know animals have their own lives to lead and do best without our interference. I know they have emotions and feel pain.
This also applies to things outside of food
Jainism does sound like an perfectly wonderful way of living, however as someone raised in the currant traditions it's appeal is lost. I can't fathom how one would achieve the principals of being Jain while living in most societies- or being on the internet!

 

[Urban Gardener]

Interesting coincidence. I just wrote about Jainism in response to another thread, then deleted instead of posting because I thought the sentiment was a bit more lengthy and complex than what I could do justice to in a medium-length post.

In part of the post, I wrote that I haven't had many vegan friends because I mostly meet the preachier, more image-oriented kinds of vegans out in day to day life. But I once had a co-worker who was a Jain and our perspectives seemed more similar - we both simply lived by the belief in avoiding harm to other living things, without being flashy about it.

I'm saving my thoughts on religion for another place and time, but I think it's best to withold judgment about other people's beliefs. Spirituality is a personal experience, just like sexuality or romantic feelings or imagination. People experience it in degrees that vary from nothing to constant, and in many different ways. I think it should be respected in that way. It's not logical; it's a kind of experience. An experience that we can talk about in different ways, but the diversity among us exists for good reasons. We're better off because we think differently and experience life in different ways.

 

[FredVegrox]

Why not convert to Jainism? I have my beliefs of faith already, strong enough to not just change for that. I am vegan, and remaining vegan, anyway. There are others who say they have this faith in common, while they are not vegan. That does not change it for me now, though I was delayed from looking that far before from being with such others. I still know my vegan living is far more consistent with the faith than the ways others live are. And that is not Jainism still.

Why not be a Jain?
Why be a Jain?
I have no answer to either, nor reason to consider them. I have no attraction to make up answers to things I can't know. I do know empathy and need, and know the human body functions best eating a plant based diet. I know that raising foods that are best for our environment are plants. I know it's best for our economy. I also know animals have their own lives to lead and do best without our interference. I know they have emotions and feel pain.
This also applies to things outside of food

Well put, I agree.

 

[beforewisdom]

I never looked deeply at the religion, but mandating vegetarianism to me is not enough to make me interested.

From what little I have read they have many inconvenient lifestyle rules. Who wants to live like a Muslim or an Orthodox Jew?

I also don't share the metaphysical beliefs they have, which I consider to be the whole point of a religion.

 

[spencer]

I remember in College Biology we did a lab experiment. We used several different things that were touted antibacterial including some prescription antibiotics. they were put into petri dishes with agar and then contaminated. If I remember correctly, the garlic did the best job of killing bacteria.

And sometimes it kills too much bacteria, even the friendly ones. The jury is still out, there are some studies showing garlic is good for you, others saying it is bad.

 

[spencer]

Jainism is the best religion I've ever heard. If you must choose one, it seems a reasonable choice. Vegetarianism, minimalism, non violence, truth. Looks great. One negative point looks they might have some old fashioned conservative fear of sex in there. This is what I think based on a 5 minute skim read of the wikipedia article extensive reading and my expert analysis.

I agree that it appears to be the best religion, especially for ethical vegans. Others take a very weak stance for vegetarianism, if at all. Regarding sex, for Jains who are not monks or nuns, it is allowed. It can be an addiction like drugs or other addictive vices, so moderation is healthy.

But why choose a religion at all? I don't need a religion to tell me to be a vegetarian and tell the truth and not be greedy about possessions. I figured it out for myself. Science, nature, the love and family, good friends, good books can provide the inspiration and meaning that is needed in life.

That's good too, but what if there is an afterlife, reincarnation, or something else? Why not be prepared?

 

[spencer]

Jainism does sound like an perfectly wonderful way of living, however as someone raised in the currant traditions it's appeal is lost. I can't fathom how one would achieve the principals of being Jain while living in most societies- or being on the internet!

Why not? There is no prohibition on using the internet. And with all the vegan options available now, a vegetarian or vegan diet is easy.

 

[Ohzen]

Jainism is among the better religions we came up with sofar but still there are some parts I very much disagree with especially when it comes to gender equality.

Digambara tradition has held that women cannot achieve salvation as men can, and the best a nun can achieve is to be reborn as a man in the next rebirth. At least the Śvētāmbara sect believes that women too can achieve spiritual liberation through ascetic practices.

 

[Urban Gardener]

Religions are open to interpretation, and people often don't agree with everything their religion teaches.

It's like being part of a fan community. Most of the members don't like every song/episode/etc and are critical of parts of it. The point is the positive side of it, whether that's the community or something you get out of it on a personal level.

A healthy religious group will welcome discussion of the pro's and con's of it, and will include people with different opinions. If one doesn't, it's a cult and you should run far away.

Obviously, things like gender equality are serious issues. My point is that a religion is more like a book about philosophy than a country with a set of laws everyone has to follow. A lot of them include something objectionable somewhere, but that part might be disregarded in most of the modern communities around it, or people might be working to change it. It's helpful to talk to practitioners and explore modern views within the religion in addition to looking at the traditional tenants and practices.