Jainism is a unique religion with a lot of rules for followers to abide by. From an outsider’s point of view some of these rules might seem very obscure and not make a lot of sense. A list of pros and cons can be complied when it comes to the rules of this religion. Focusing on peace and equality are definitely pros whereas the many restrictions on everyday living can be viewed as cons.
Jainism's Focus on Peace
Starting with the pros, the positive attributes, Jainism is a religion that focuses on serene, peaceful living. If everyone went through their days ensuring that every single move they made would not harm anyone or anything, the world would be a much different place. War, fighting, and terrorism would definitely not exist and everyone would be very compassionate and conscientious.
Equality All Around in Jainism
Another pro that is evident in the Jain way is the equality among all living beings. This pro goes hand-in-hand with the peaceful way of life promoted by Jains.
There is no caste system in Jainism, everyone is equal and every soul is capable of becoming liberated. This is a much different outlook than the majority of cultures. Money and possessions mean more to such a large number of people than their own family or the well being of others around them.
On to the Cons of Jainism
Focusing now on the cons of Jainism, a negative aspect of the religion is that its followers must abide by some very extreme rules. Everyday things that are considered allowable in most cultures and religions such as getting immunizations, eating meat, lighting fires, digging in the ground, and eating after sundown are taboo in Jainism.
The Reasons For the Rules
Getting immunized is not permitted for two reasons, the first being that bacterial life would be harmed and the second is that during the process of making an immunization a life is harmed. Most immunizations use the embryos of chickens in the serum - eggs. By getting an immunization it would only be encouraging and supporting this practice.
It may seem odd to think that digging in the ground should be outlawed but in the eyes of a Jain this would be tragic. The belief is that digging will cause harm to many life forms; insects, worms, grass and microscopic life could potentially be harmed.
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Occupational Restrictions
In most aspects of a Jain’s life there are restrictions and suggestions to help the soul reach liberation. Possible occupations are limited to ones that would not cause harm to another living being.
There are six particular fields of occupation that are the most respectable. These are writing, government, farming, the arts, commerce, and crafts. Some of these occupations are more respectable than others.
For example, an occupation in farming would not be as respectable of a choice because agricultural methods used, such as the use of animals to pull ploughs or draining land to plant crops could cause much harm to the life of another being. The animals may be forced to pull heavy machinery against their own will and draining the land to plant and harvest crops would force many species out of their habitat.
A respectable occupational choice may be in sales, providing the selling is not of goods that will or have caused harm to life.
There are of course pros and cons that can be found when studying any religion. Jainism incorporates some very unique practices to help the soul become liberated such as placing restrictions on occupations and always remaining focused on peace and equality.
Inequality Amongst Womens
The three most important factors for attaining liberation are conduct, knowledge and faith. In order to perfect these three aspects, one must follow five simple rules. Ahisma means non-violence towards all living beings. Secondly, Satya is truth. Achaurya or Asteya means non-stealing, or not taking anything that isn't given freely. The fourth rule is chastity, the denial of sexual pleasure. Finally, there is Aparigraha, which means non-attachment to other people and material possessions.
Although the religion is dedicated to equality in many ways, women face several difficulties in attaining liberation in the Jainism religion. In fact, the Digambara sect of the religion believes women must be reborn as men before they can true deliverance. Another sect, the Svetambara, disagrees with this theory.
Mahavira's life shows followers of the religion how to obtain perfection. One of the examples he set for monks to follow was complete nudity. However, women are banned from being nude in public. The belief is that if women go without clothing, men will experience sexual desires, thus diverting them from divine liberation. In turn, women would feel ashamed, and they would also be denied holy deliverance.
Women are believed to be harmful by nature. Their menstrual blood is considered to be impure in several important Jain texts. The bleeding that occurs in menstruation is thought to kill micro-organisms in the body, making the female body less non-violent than the male body.
Finally, members of the female sex are obliged to take care of children and other dependents such as the aged. Because the women do this, they form earthly attachments to these people. If she can't break free from those attachments, she will never be able to be truly free from earthly bonds.
In conclusion, although Jainism is considered a religion of equal rights, women are largely unable to become liberated themselves. The very femininity of females is a deterrent to their religious freedom. Women do have an important role, however, in allowing men to become perfected more easily.
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