I am a motorcoach operator in Texas. That means I drive a big ol’ bus for a charter company. A couple of weeks ago, I had a truly delightful, but unusual group of passengers. Another driver and I took about 95 Jains from one temple to another, then went to a farm, then brought them back to the temple where we started. So, the cast here is 2 drivers (I’m white, the other guy African-American, if that matters) and about 95 Indian folks who practice the faith of Jainism.
First of all, these were some of the most pleasant and polite people I have ever worked with in my six years driving a charter bus. Without exception, they were all simply wonderful and courteous in every possible way. This was true for the youngest children to the most elderly adult.
Prior to this trip, I had no experience with Jains. I don’t think I had even heard of this faith tradition, even though I have known various Indian people throughout my life. While I have no interest in pursuing this faith, I am fascinated. Please understand that none of my questions are meant to be taken as any sort of disrespect to anyone. Jainism isn’t my thing, but that doesn’t mean I have to “yuck someone else’s yum”, so to speak.
From a dietary perspective, I learned that Jains do not eat meat of any sort and do not eat root vegetables. They have a profound respect for all living things and abhor violence to any creature, including micro-organisms. The meat prohibition seems pretty obvious to me, but the bit about root vegetables is two-fold: uprooting the potato (for example) kills the plant entirely. Preparing the potato to eat kills the micro-organisms that are prevalent in plants that grow under the ground.
Okay.
So, my questions:
- Can a person who practices Jainism go to the doctor for an illness? Since an antibiotic kills micro-organisms making a person sick, is this considered violence on a living thing? What do Jains do when they get sick?
- What about vaccines? Some vaccines include a killed virus. Others include a live virus which is subsequently killed by the human’s antibodies. Can Jains receive vaccinations? What about mRNA vaccines, which do not introduce any form of a virus into the person?
- Can a Jain become a physician?
Regarding plants:
- While picking an ear of corn (for example) does not kill the plant, modern farming often does. After the harvest, a farmer will plow under the crop and plant new seed for the next season. A second yield of most plants does not yield enough to be financial worthwhile (as I understand it). So, how do Jains feel about this sort of thing?
- Cotton is another plant. Harvesting cotton does not have to kill the plant, but, again, a second yield is not profitable, so the harvested plants are destroyed and new seed planted for the next season. Yet Jains clearly wear cotton fabrics. Is the cotton used to make fabrics for Jains harvested in a way that does not destroy the plants?
What is the deal with cows? One of our stops was a farm where the Jains interacted with cows. They brushed them, hand fed them, and even “cuddled” with them. Unlike most cows in Texas, these cows were not destined for slaughter.
Finally, at the end of the evening, our passengers gave us very generous tips. They also gave us each a gift. I don’t understand the gift. The gift consisted of a sheet of white fabric, almost like a bedsheet, though not very soft. There was also a smaller piece of fabric, like a dinner napkin. Finally, there was a mesh bag like one would use to launder “delicates” in the washing machine. All of this came wrapped in a reusable grocery sack from a local chain of supermarkets. I don’t know what to do with this gift. Is it symbolic of something? I am honored that they thought of us and their praise of our efforts getting them safely to their destinations was effusive. I don’t know what to do with this gift.
I am always amazed at the breadth of experiences on the SDMB. I hope some Dopers can help me make sense of some of this. If I ever have the opportunity to work with a Jain group, I will jump at the chance.
