Jainism and Environmental Ethics: An Exploration
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Jainism and Environmental Ethics: An Exploration Piyali Mitra1 Received: 27 August 2017 / Revised: 22 June 2018 / Accepted: 30 July 2018 © Indian Council of Philosophical Research 2018
Abstract In this paper, an attempt has been made to examine some of the key concepts of Jaina religion from an environmental perspective. The paper focuses on Jain’s parasparopagraho jīvānām or interconnectedness. The common concerns between Jainism and environmentalism constituted in a mutual sensitivity towards living beings, a recognition of the interconnectedness of life forms and a programme to augment awareness to respect and protect living systems. The paper will also investigate how ahiṃsā or non-violence is understood in the Jain community and also how this concept bears a positive influence in maintaining ecological balance. The paper aims to show that the practice of non-violence is limited not only to actions but extends to words and thoughts. In this process, I attempt to show the development of “intellectual ahiṃsā” where non-violence is rooted in Jain anekāntavāda that is in the tolerance of other religions, thoughts and believes. The Jain’s radical egalitarianism does away with the charges of anthropocentricism labelled against it. In fact, the Jain virtue ethics, compassion and tolerance are instrumental in creating an environment that was conducive to peaceful and productive multi-sectarian interaction both in society and ecology. Keywords Jaina environmental ethics · Non-anthropocentricism · Non-violence · Intellectual ahimsa Jainism, the religion of nature, preached the most non-violent approach and humanitarian viewpoint towards all souls with a profound progressive attitude and judicious understanding. Jainism is a religious culture that paves the way to achieve goodness of life in this lifetime. It acknowledges the value of every being. And, this realm of well-being encompasses an attitude bereft of negativity still less towards the nonhuman world, towards the physical world and towards our own physical embodiedness. The paper would provide a reading of some of the key concepts of Jaina * Piyali Mitra [email protected] 1
Department of Philosophy, University of Calcutta, Alipore Campus, 1, Reformatory Street, Alipore, Kolkata, West Bengal 700027, India
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Vol.:(0123456789)
Journal of Indian Council of Philosophical Research
religions from an environmental perspective and thus try to provide some potential bases for a Jain environmental ethics. The main focus of this paper is to find remedies to the environmental problems we are facing through the study of eco-spirituality with particular reference to the study of Jain faith. The Jain philosophy of non-absolutism (anekāntavāda) provides a basis for the central moral principle of ahiṃsā as advocated by Jaina virtue ethicists. And, this principle of ahiṃsā embodied in the respect for the life of others forms the fundamental basis of Jain ecological perspective. Accordingly, I proceed to focus first on the environmental problems that the present
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