Are we lost on virtues?

Make an honest reflection on our thoughts, words and actions... to modulate them for a better self... and making of a better society and strengthening bond of humanity.

By: Himanshu K. Gandhi

Places of faith, be it a temple, or a monastery, or a mosque, or a church, or a gurudwara, or an agiary, or an institution whose raison d'être is faith, are all supposedly built to espouse virtues and further core tenets embodied in their own faiths. But, do they really? Take for instance, one central and core tenet of each and every faith; that of truth. The source of funds for donations to build or maintain the place of worship or faith based institution, donated under the guise of pursuit of one’s faith, is never questioned.

In fact, it is widely believed and accepted norm that disproportionably large amount of those funds are earned through some form of deceit; unaccounted or black money, or evasion of taxes, or income from a business that has gained from deceit in their operations or aided by corrupt practices of others. In effect, prima facie foundation of these places of faith is hollow in virtues and the critical blood sustaining the operations is primarily corrupted. For a follower of Jainism questions become starker on additional counts of deceit; are the sources of funds engaged in, or benefit from, operations or services that involve killing of animals, or sensuous titillations?

Unless deliberate care and conscientious efforts are undertaken to support and strengthen the virtues espoused in ones faith, the whole edifice is just a façade of brick and wood that will crumble and decay. While we generally take great care that the food that is served, in these places of faith, is saattvik or halal or kosher, should we not even bother to care that sources of funds, that run the place, survive the same test? While it may not be possible to eradicate deceit from sources of funds, can we at least make an honest and sincere effort? There is no deficit of greater import then that of virtues, and no pandemic of greater threat to human kind then that of deceit. Thread of virtues ties humanity together and to make our bonds stronger we have to rope in stronger virtues.

Campaign for truth starts here, now… with a warm invite to all those who have distanced themselves from deceit, or have taken unto themselves a solemn pledge to displace deceit out of their being. Truthfulness is a single domino. Once it falls into place, all other dominoes of righteous conduct follow through in synchronicity. We all may have, or have had, some "ignorance", "excuse", "limitation" or "circumstance beyond our control" to fall into deceit, or not mount enough resistance to it. Can we all join hands to call deceit out from within us or without, and make a real effort to remain away from artifice and deceit?

Any and every humble effort of ours towards self reform will energize those within our circle of influence to do the same. Each one of us supports the other. For our own good and for the common good, let us come together, to help humanity stave off the scourge and pandemic of deceit. When we take on a solemn pledge we move to actualize the notion. Kindly join the campaign for truth in self by following the link below and click on "Pledge. And, when you have done so, kindly enjoin everyone in your circle of influence to do the same.

http://www.causes.com/campaigns/72041-campaign-for-truth?recruiter_id=185846843&utm_campaign=share&u

Let us all do our bit.

About the author: Himanshu is based in Boston, MA and is an avid follower of Jainism. He administers a Facebook group ‘Campaign for Truth’, where in all of the members have taken a solemn pledge to displace deceit out of their being, to enable them to support cause of truth in each and every sphere of life, and raise voice of reason to call out deceit when and where possible. To join the group or any comments email him at h.gandhi@samved.com.

Places of faith… do we care for virtues?

Make an honest reflection on sources of funds that support our places of faith to ascertain that they are consistent with virtues of our faith.

By: Himanshu K. Gandhi

Ignoring a festering problem or wishing it away... does not always make it go away. More likely then not, like a seething open wound, it will occupy our attention, even when we choose to turn our eyes away from it.

Many great societal challenges of our current times are such... Leaving us with only one choice... but, to boldly confront it and call attention to resources when and where possible to help address it.

Places of faith… be it a temple, or a monastery, or a mosque, or a church, or a gurudwara, or an agiary, or any institution whose raison d'être is faith, are all supposedly built to espouse virtues and further core tenets embodied in their own faiths…

… But, do they really?

Take for instance, one central and core tenet of each and every faith… that of Truth. The source of funds for donations to build or maintain the place of worship or faith based institution… donated under the guise of pursuit of one’s faith… is never questioned.

In fact, it is widely believed and accepted norm that disproportionably large amount of those funds are earned through some form of deceit… unaccounted or black money, or evasion of taxes, or income from a business that has gained from deceit in their operations or aided by corrupt practices of others...

… In effect, prima facie foundation of these places of faith is hollow in virtues… and the critical blood sustaining the operations is primarily corrupted.

For a follower of Jainism questions become starker on multiple counts… in addition to all kinds of deceit, are the sources of funds engaged in, or benefit from, operations or services that involve killing of animals, or sensuous titillations?

Unless deliberate care and conscientious efforts are undertaken to support and strengthen the virtues espoused in ones faith, the whole edifice is just a façade of brick and wood that will crumble and decay.

While we generally take great care that the food that is served, in these places of faith, is saattvik or halal or kosher… should we not even bother to care that sources of funds, that run the place, survive the same test?

When deceit is fouled out and deceitful players are stripped off of their Gold medals even in sports… then, on what basis can deceit survive as an acceptable norm in places of faith?

While it may not be possible to eradicate deceit from sources of funds… can we at least make an honest and sincere effort?

Can we at the very least ask the donor to self certify that all sources of his/her income have not gained from deceit, or supporting deceit, or trades that are in stark antithesis to one’s faith? In essence, putting at least a pittance of hurdle and announcing our intent that we care for such.

If not, then let’s not call our places of worship, or faith based institutions, as places that aid in reaching out to God or Jina or Allah or Jesus or Him… and belonging to a Trust…

… but… just clubs for social gatherings full of pomp and fluff…. and a colossal waste of a great opportunity to make a positive impact for the well being of mankind.

As many humble followers of our faith have observed, virtues have been progressively cornered away to make more room for deceit, which gets bigger every passing day.

Biggest turn-off with faith for the upcoming generations, is not the practice of rituals or gripe with comprehension through the lens of science, or relevance of spirituality in their career progression… but explicit duplicity witnessed in forbearers and "followers” of faith… where greed and glory are key appendages that work hard to further deceit. ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ and "All hands on the deck are red” perceptions precipitate the distrust.

There is no stopping of donation, from any and all sources of income, to the impoverished and deprived, or to any social cause, or any organization… just don’t let self or anyone do it under the guise of faith, unless the monies are deceit free.

Don’t let self or anyone steal piety out of our places of faith!

Just as when a flight attendant serves a burger to an avowed vegetarian, by removing a beef patty tightly crunched in between the vegetables of sandwiched buns, it does not make that a veg-burger… akin to that, income through streams of ones occupation that’s smeared by deceit or sacrilegious trade, is corrupted and does not qualify as worthy of supporting any activity in the name of Jainism.

What good are tomes of knowledge stacked away in places of faith and trillions of bytes uploaded on to e.Libraries there of... when there is very little thought, let alone deliberate effort, to put into consistent practice the most basic of virtues... Truth… within its purview?

Don’t call out for monies for Bhoomi-poojan or Dhwaja-rohan on a place of faith… and not care if those donations merit the purpose and are deceit free.

… Or, monies donated for Swamivatsalya that bothers to make sure that the food served is free of egg, fish, meat or liquor… but not care if the source of funds is from an operation that handles or dispenses such.

… Or, build Dharamshalas, for Tirth-yatris, which are guarded to check untoward incidents within its premises… but not care if funds donated for the same were garnered from illicit salacious trades.

And, if there are not enough monies received due to the restriction of self-certification by the donor, then it is just fine to proportionately trim down the operations, or curtail the expansion plans, or lighten up on commencing a Bhavya-Jirnodhar, or tone down on build up of a grandiose new place of faith…

… If not, then let fish and beef be served as a "choice” at venues gathered in the name of Jainism.

It matters less if a Trust or body of management, of a place of Jain faith, sets a threshold for donor’s self-certification to donations over INR 50,000 or USD 1,000 or GBP 500…

… or, if they decide that self-certification would just mean a published comment on the donation receipt to that effect, or just an email, or even a mere verbal attestation of such to the Treasurer…

… But please, don’t look away and, thereby, connive with deceit!!

The biggest perpetrators of deceit rely on those that support them, either by furthering deceit, or by not resisting them. When we decide to "play safe” or "sit on the fence”, we have furthered the cause of perpetrators, and are as culpable as those that actively support them. In effect, the grim truth is, not resisting deceit is to support it.

Voice of reason is our only fuel, and our runway is very long... but winds of support will blow harder as every new voice joins ours, to save what we have, and salvage what we can... for generations to come behind us.

About the author: Himanshu is based in Boston, MA and is an avid follower of Jainism. He administers a Facebook group ‘SSS… Solution Starts with Self’, where his effort is to support thoughts that enrich the base ethos of simple, straightforward and honest conduct, to break the pace of greed and vice, everywhere we see. To join the group or any comments email him at h.gandhi@samved.com.

India for Freedom- An Approach to Solution… that Starts with Self.

Make an honest reflection on how we can cure ourselves to further our motive to free India of its constraints that impede its excellence in all spheres of human association.

By: Himanshu K. Gandhi

Ignoring a festering problem or wishing it away... does not always make it go away. More likely then not, like a seething open wound, it will occupy our attention, even when we choose to turn our eyes away from it.

Many great societal challenges of our current times are such... Leaving us with only one choice... but, to boldly confront it and call attention to resources when and where possible to help address it.

Cry as we may all, against the tyranny of justice, or slaughter of truth, or senseless violence, or corrupt system… any demons without can only be humbled when shout to action to the other side... is preceded by call to action for principled self, within. Until the principled 1% of the society rise up to walk the talk... and commit themselves to be in the mix to engage a change... masses at large will never gain any currency in this doctored and deliberately fractured setups we still call democracy… anywhere where the greed resides.

First Leg of Our Response: Imbibe Virtues

Honest and truthful conduct that we expect of others, need to be imbibed solemnly by us.

The germ of incessant corruption-of-character and diminutive conduct is wide spread... into the very fabric of our current day common activities, across anywhere where greed resides. To give it a meaningful resistance, first and foremost we have to come to terms with ourselves… howsoever reluctant we may be... as soiled broom cannot clean the room.

We cannot hope to curtail or tame corrosive influence of underground economy and underworld, from infrastructure projects, to housing development, to rigged markets, to halls of education, to religious charities… unless our own business or daily transactions are devoid of black money, or deceitful means, or are not helped by seeking or giving undue underhand favors.

We cannot rise in respect for women and break the back of ghastly treatment of women from forced female feticides, to rape and molestation, to far more common groping and harassment… unless we have completely grounded our own undercurrents of salacious conduct and refuse to be entertained by sounds and images stocking carnal thoughts and insidious behavior.

Let us humbly submit to introspect, practice true humility, promise to be selfless, truthful (without deceit) and inspire everyone in our circle of influence to do the same.

Second Leg of Our Response: Engender Selfless Motive in Our Self

Solutions are much easy to come about, implement and stick... when selfless motive flows in the veins of fellow men and women; motive sans greed, glory or any gain, including sensuous pleasure, for personal ends. Selfless motive is the only antidote to susceptibility to corrupt thoughts, which are harbingers to corrupt practices.

An old fable of 'Stone on the Road' can only teach us if we are inclined to put our virtuous principles into practice... with every thought, word and action. Only way out, and forward, is to heed our own call to make better and take ownership, for common good.

Swami Vivekananda, Mahatma Gandhi, M.L. King and Frederick Douglas won the plurality of bitter struggles based on singularity of the strength of their character. There is no alternative.

Third Leg of our Response: Saving what Remains Good

To get to work in identifying and isolating, to protect, nurture and nourish what remains good. Start at local community level; spread the deliberate message, to wider circles to amass support of local NGOs, charitable faith institutions, and any and everyone who is an honest believer in this effort.

First and foremost there in, is to protect and support, in any which way we can, people and institutions that run on selfless motive. It is much easier to spot them… once we adorn the very same colors.

Fourth leg of our response: Rebuild

We would have already identified problem areas when we work diligently to support and protect that which remains good. Let us be more involved in public policy making institutions, processes and be willing to cross to the other side to face the music. What democracies need is leaders primed by the power of principles and not by the power of money. If elections at all levels of government are commissioned by this yardstick, we can truly turn around this parody in action.

Bring forth as many fellow well-wishers in the common good process, to break corrupt practices, rebuild tarnished instistutions, and effect acute resistence against forces that are at work, to break us apart.

The key is to stay selfless… humble, truthful and not to do for glory.

Remember, a spark at the end of a cigarette butt at a remote camp in Arizona had no idea that it had power to ignite 350,000 acres of forest. Constructive forces take much longer time to work through… but they do work… when aligned with selfless motive.

About the author: Himanshu is based in Boston, MA and is an avid follower of Jainism. He administers a Facebook group ‘India for Freedom’, where his effort is to support thoughts that leads us to better state of responsibility for our nation, which starts with self. To join the group or any comments email him at h.gandhi@samved.com.