Ashlynne Darling
World Religion
Dr. Pratt
4/26/18
Jainism
Religion is universal. Plain and simple. Different religions exist across different areas of the world. It is crazy to think how many different religions there are, and that there is a possibility that some religions aren’t even accounted for. While religion is universal, religious beliefs vary depending on what religion one is practicing or observing. One religion, such as Christianity, is going to have a whole different set of beliefs then another religion, such as Taoism. Jainism is seldom known as Buddhism’s little brother. According to Understanding Jainism, “Jainism is an ancient religion of India with roughly 4-5 million adherents with a small but flourishing overseas community” …show more content…
Jains, as they are known, firmly believe that every life matters, whether that be the life of a human, animal, or even an ant. In a book about Jainism, it talks of how “Jains sweep the ground in front of them to ensure that living creatures are not inadvertently crushed” (Long, 2009). Because of this belief, Jains must be extremely careful throughout their everyday routines. They must watch every step to make sure they don’t kill and innocent life form. Imagine the amount of stress on a human being because they have to worry about not stepping on and killing a miniscule bug. It doesn’t stop at that either. The belief in Ahimsa is so extreme that monks are sometimes pictures with masks on in order to avoid inhaling various types of insects (Long, 2009). Ahimsa is a belief that can be found in Jain scriptures, and while it is quite extreme, it is interesting and makes Jainism …show more content…
“Their view on non-violence (Ahimsa) have been particularly influential on the larger Hindu community in the midst of which they have always existed” (Long, 2009, 173). Despite being a smaller religion and not as well-known, Jainism has still managed to influence larger religions with their own beliefs. This influence can be attributed to, but not entirely, the wealth that Jains tend to hold. And “with wealth comes influence” (Long, 2007. 173). Ahimsa also played a role in Mahatma Ghandi’s political movement. Many people might dismiss Jainism as irrelevant today, but it should and still does play a very prevalent role. Any person Any person should follow and emphasize ahimsa. The idea of respecting all living beings is an idea that many people seem to overlook. If people would focus on an idea such as ahimsa, the world would be a whole lot better place.While the whole idea of liberation might not appeal to some religious believers, the idea of karma is another thing that more people should focus on. As it was said earlier, “Good yields good” (Babb, 45) If one does good for another, then they are bettering their well-being. They always say, “what goes around, comes around”. So, why not do good so later on down the road good things will happen? All in all, every single person can learn or take something away from the religious beliefs of
World Religion
Dr. Pratt
4/26/18
Jainism
Religion is universal. Plain and simple. Different religions exist across different areas of the world. It is crazy to think how many different religions there are, and that there is a possibility that some religions aren’t even accounted for. While religion is universal, religious beliefs vary depending on what religion one is practicing or observing. One religion, such as Christianity, is going to have a whole different set of beliefs then another religion, such as Taoism. Jainism is seldom known as Buddhism’s little brother. According to Understanding Jainism, “Jainism is an ancient religion of India with roughly 4-5 million adherents with a small but flourishing overseas community” …show more content…
Jains, as they are known, firmly believe that every life matters, whether that be the life of a human, animal, or even an ant. In a book about Jainism, it talks of how “Jains sweep the ground in front of them to ensure that living creatures are not inadvertently crushed” (Long, 2009). Because of this belief, Jains must be extremely careful throughout their everyday routines. They must watch every step to make sure they don’t kill and innocent life form. Imagine the amount of stress on a human being because they have to worry about not stepping on and killing a miniscule bug. It doesn’t stop at that either. The belief in Ahimsa is so extreme that monks are sometimes pictures with masks on in order to avoid inhaling various types of insects (Long, 2009). Ahimsa is a belief that can be found in Jain scriptures, and while it is quite extreme, it is interesting and makes Jainism …show more content…
“Their view on non-violence (Ahimsa) have been particularly influential on the larger Hindu community in the midst of which they have always existed” (Long, 2009, 173). Despite being a smaller religion and not as well-known, Jainism has still managed to influence larger religions with their own beliefs. This influence can be attributed to, but not entirely, the wealth that Jains tend to hold. And “with wealth comes influence” (Long, 2007. 173). Ahimsa also played a role in Mahatma Ghandi’s political movement. Many people might dismiss Jainism as irrelevant today, but it should and still does play a very prevalent role. Any person Any person should follow and emphasize ahimsa. The idea of respecting all living beings is an idea that many people seem to overlook. If people would focus on an idea such as ahimsa, the world would be a whole lot better place.While the whole idea of liberation might not appeal to some religious believers, the idea of karma is another thing that more people should focus on. As it was said earlier, “Good yields good” (Babb, 45) If one does good for another, then they are bettering their well-being. They always say, “what goes around, comes around”. So, why not do good so later on down the road good things will happen? All in all, every single person can learn or take something away from the religious beliefs of