yahoo post #4

Give a brief description of Jainism (beliefs, ethics, spiritual goals, religious heroes)
Jainism is an ancient religion out of India that believes all living things possess a soul, thereby making all life equal. No one life is valued above the other. In fact, Jainism is the only religion that emphasizes vegetarianism as a form of religious practice. Jainism is a religion based on a true sense of ahimsa. Jainism encourages it’s practitioners to develop their innate wisdom and to exercise self-control both physically and mentally, thereby, making each and every individual responsible for their spiritual fate. The intent of Jainism is to liberate the soul from the cycle of transmigration and attain moksha.
Jains do not necessarily believe in God as an omniscient being who created all things but they do believe in the idea of God. According to Jainism, God lives in all of us, God is all of us. Better said, Jains believe we all have the potential to be God-like. This can only happen when a soul has liberated itself from the cycle of transmigration and has attained moksha.
Jainism is a religion based on rationality. According to Jain philosophy, there is no absolute truth. Truth is relative to the issue at hand. Positions and viewpoints are best viewed from multiple perspectives. This prevents the development of bias or the reliance of absolutism.
Jains believe that the whole of creation is infinite. That the cosmos itself has no beginning or end. According to Jainism, time is divided into two equal, yet, distinct cycles, a progressive cycle (Utsarpinis) and a regressive cycle (Avsarpinis). Each cycle is then broken into six unequal cycles (Aras). During the progressive cycle, the world is thought to progress in all areas of life, whereas, during the regressive cycle the world is thought to regress in all areas of life. When each cycle is complete the process begins again. This is an never ending process (Kachakra).
Jains believe in Tirthankaras, or individuals who have rediscovered the way to being a pure soul. Tirthankaras have shed themselves of karmic baggage and are considered to be role models or religious heroes. The Jains believe that there were 24 tirthankaras it total.
According the Jain code of conduct, each of its practitioners are working towards making this their last lifetime in the tranmigration cycle. What is expected from this lifetime is a life of non-violence (Ahimsa), telling the truth at all times (Satya), you can’t steal (Achaurya), celibacy (Brahmacharya), and no attachments to the material world (Aparigraha). Of course, being the rational minds that they are, Jainism expects its monks and nuns to fully practice the code of conduct, whereas, it expects the layman to practice it on a limited basis.
Neuro-Ethical Argument
I think David Lane’s arguement for vegetarianism matches the Jainism viewpoint in that to not eat meat is a true form of ahimsa. Lane states that vegetarianism "is the first real sign of human compassion"(p.2), I agree. The Jains practice vegetarianism because they believe all living things have a soul and that all of life should be considered equal. Human compassion is embedded in their way of life, in their religious practices. They are not tainted with egocentrism or master of the world mumbo jumbo. The Western world thinks otherwise. For Lane to come to this conclusion on his own shows that maybe, just maybe, the Jains are onto something.