Freshman Pooja Shah is one of a handful of practicing Jain students at Hopkins.

Jain students find peace and purity in non-violent beliefs

By: Conor Foley

Posted: 10/9/08

Though Jains make up a very small percentage of the student population at Hopkins, their beliefs have historically had a strong influence on more popular Indian religions, like Hinduism and Buddhism, both of which are practiced by a significant percentage of Hopkins students.

For many Hopkins students, the Jain student presence on campus is most noticeable during Diwali, when the Hindu and Jain student body joins together for the Festival of Lights, lighting lamps and candles to celebrate the triumph of good over evil.

The Jain tenet of non-absolutism, which encourages Jains to be tolerant of other faiths and religions, has helped Jains live alongside the large Hindu population in India. In fact, many Hindus have adopted the Jain practice of vegetarianism.

Jain ideas also have heavily influenced the tenets of Buddhism, as Siddhartha (Buddha) explored Jainism before he went on to found Buddhism. The Jain emphasis on non-violence is also believed to have shaped the civil disobedience beliefs of Mahatma Gandhi.

Jainism has three core principles for personal conduct: non-violence, non-possessiveness and non-absolutism. Non-violence is the impetus for Jainism's most famous tenet of strict vegetarianism. The Jainian goal to avoid harming all other souls stems from their belief that all life, including plants and animals, have souls. The strictest Jains even refuse to eat root plants such as carrots or potatoes, because doing so would kill the plant.

Sophomore Sohel Sanghani, a practicing Jain who moved to Hopkins from India, is unsatisfied with both the religious restrictions on his diet and with the limited vegetarian choices on campus.

"[Freshman year] the meal plans were compulsory, so I was bound to eat at [Fresh Food Café]. Although there's a dedicated vegetarian section, I was never really satisfied with my meal . . . it's quite difficult [to be vegetarian], and it's definitely not enjoyable," he wrote to the News-Letter.

Jainism is unique for several reasons. While some Jains do attend services, they are not necessarily a crucial part of the religion. Jains do not worship any gods. They do believe in and pray to beings who have reaching a higher stage of enlightenment, and who they consider divine.

The most important of these divine beings are the 24 Tirthankar, the main teachers of Jainism who helped to spread the religion in its earliest days. The Tirthankar serve as examples of how Jains can free their souls of karma, actions that cause either pain or joy and create a cycle of cause and effect, and achieve moksha, a state achieved when they free themselves from the cycle of reincarnation.

"Jainism is more of a philosophy than a religion. It ascribes a mind set and style of living . . . It emphasizes self restraint, concentration and encourages you to consider things for yourself," sophomore Mihir Mehta said.

This past month, Jains celebrated Paryushana, one of the most important festivals of the year. The festival is traditionally held in the middle of the four month long rainy season for eight to 10 days. During this time, Jains often observe stricter dietary restrictions than normal. Some even fast for all of Paryushana. The festival is often seen as a time when even lay Jains practice the asceticism and meditation of monks. At the end of the festival, Jains ask for forgiveness for wrongdoing against all forms of life.

During this time, Jains often recite by heart a verse which displays the intent of Paryushana: "I grant forgiveness to all living beings, May all living beings grant me forgiveness; My friendship is with all living beings, My enmity is totally non-existent. Let there be peace, harmony and prosperity for all."

The lack of a structured Jain organization or community here at Homewood does not discourage Jains from taking part in their traditional ceremonies.

"Last year I did the ceremony with another Jain, but this year I just did it by myself in my room. We try to be particularly mindful of wrongdoing we have done and focus on how we can avoid doing harm in the future," sophomore Deepa Kenia said.

During the Diwali festival, Jains often take part in the Diwali festivities organized by the South Asian Student Association (SASH) and Hindu Students' Council (HSU).The well-known festival, which most Indians celebrate, is particularly significant to Jains as it celebrates when the last Tirthankar, Mahavia, achieved nirvana.

The Jain community in Baltimore shares a temple in Finksburg, Md. with Hindus. This temple contains shrines for deities from all over India.

According to a temple spokesman, the temple-goers stay active in the community, organizing trips into Baltimore city for Thanksgiving and working to contribute to recent hurricane relief.