Sacred Threads
Lesson 5: Ahimsa and the Jains
3.6.2016
Objectives: Examine the development of Jainism as branching from classical Hinduism, with
emphasis on ahimsa and parallels to UU principles.
Materials: flipchart, basket of cards, blindfolds, vacuum cleaner, lesson attachments
Time allotments suggested and meant to be adapted for 75 minute class.
1. Nametags and Graffiti Wall (5 minutes before class begins)
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Make nametags using blank paper, markers, and holders. Youth can create their own
unique but LEGIBLE nametag. Make it a regular practice to wear nametags.
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“Graffiti Wall” questions: Write the following on whiteboard. Invite youth as they
arrive to grab a marker and weigh in with their responses:
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
Other than Gandhi and MLK,Jr., name someone you associate with the practice of
non-violence. Extra kudos for anyone in the UU tradition. (E.g. Henry David
Thoreau)

What’s one of the most important ethical rules for you?
Teachers complete attendance sheets.
2. Silly Fun: Would You Rather…? (5 minutes max)
In the classroom, there will be a selection of cards with questions “Would You
Rather…?” Read a few questions aloud and ask the youth to physically move themselves
to designated places in the room based on their answers (so standing vote). Give each
cluster a few minutes to chatter about their reasons.
Example: “Would you rather be confined to your room for one year OR go wherever you
want but always have to wear a giraffe costume?”
3. Chalice Lighting: Light the chalice, saying these words together: “We light this chalice as
a symbol of our faith; the light of truth and the warmth of love.”
Teacher reads: (from scholar on Gandhi, B. N. Ghosh)
“Gandhi’s adherence to the philosophy of non-violence, non-possession, community
welfare throughout his life can directly be attributed to the basic teachings of Jainism.”
4. Joys and Sorrows (10 minutes): Listening is a precious gift that we offer one another at
church. Using the balance scale and the blue (sorrows) and yellow (joys) stones, invite
youth to share a joy and/or a sorrow from the past week, as a way of meeting one
another with our lives and sharing in community. You will want to set limits (e.g. two
stones max per person) so that no one monopolizes sharing time.
Each Sunday, a copy of the congregation’s Embracing Meditation will be made available
to your class, so that stones can be put in for those whose names are being spoken in the
Sanctuary.
5. Comparing Principles & Rules (15 minutes)
Teacher reads: Jainism derives from the Sanskrit word jina or “victor,” and in following
the teachings and rules, a person seeks to conquer their inner passions and awaken as a
jina.
Learning Activity:
a) Divide class into groups of 3-4 youth, and provide each group with:

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comparison chart of principles/rules from: Jainism, UU faith, and dominant
culture shaped by 10 Commandments.

envelope containing list of principles/rules from each religious tradition (grouped
by color).
Have youth begin by correctly placing each of the 7 UU principles in order.
Answer:
1) We respect the inherent worth and dignity of every person
2) We strive for justice, equity and compassion in human relations
3) We accept one another and encourage spiritual growth in our congregations
4) Each person has the right to a free and responsible search for truth and meaning
5) We honor the right of conscience and use of the democratic process within our
congregations and in society at large
6) Our goal is a world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all
7) We respect the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part
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Next, have youth place both Rules for Jains and the Ten Commandments (that have
shaped our cultural norms) next to what they think most closely corresponds to the
UU principles. (Most likely, the “democratic process” and “interdependent web” will
have no easy corresponding parts.)
Questions for Discussion:

How do you account for similarities among different religions?

How do you account for differences, e.g. UU’s assertion of “democratic process”?
Teacher Summarizes: Religions are fluid, in constant dialogue with the larger culture,
history, and other religions and worldviews. For example, the 5th UU principle of “right
of conscience and use of democratic process” points to our Pilgrim and Puritan
forebears who came to this continent to escape religious persecution. Similarly, Jainism
reflects some of its disagreements with Hinduism, including: the violence they felt in
Vedic ritual sacrifices and Brahmin claims to superiority in the Hindu caste system.
Mahavira Jina, often referred to as the founder of Jainism, was really a reformer/reviver
of Jain teachings that diverged from Hinduism.
6. Three Main Principles of Jainism (45 minutes total)
Teacher reads: A jina embodies the three fundamental principles of Jainism implicit in
all the rules and spiritual practices: Nonviolence (ahimsa), Non-absolutism
(anekantavada), and Non-possessiveness (aparigraha)
Learning activity: What is anekantavada? (20 minutes)
a) Take 3 volunteers out of the room and bring in the mystery object (vacuum cleaner)
b) Each volunteer is blindfolded, brought into the room, then instructed that their
hands will be placed on some large object. They may move their fingers around, but
may NOT move their hands around (i.e., they are only allowed to feel a small part of
the vacuum cleaner).
c) Place the hands of the 3 volunteers respectively on the following parts of the
vacuum: the electric cord, the top handle, the base and underside of the vacuum (flip
vacuum on its side).
d) After a minute or two, ask each youth to guess at the mystery object. After guessing,
remove blindfold so they can see.
e) Repeat until all three youth have completed this activity.
Questions for Discussion:

How does this learning activity illustrate anekantavada (non-absolutism)?

Does this remind anyone of an Indian story that has been famously used to illustrate
anekantavada?
(Answer: The most famous illustration of anekantavada is the Indian parable of the
“Six Blind Men and the Elephant.” The blind man who feels a leg says the elephant is
like a pillar; the one who feels the tail says the elephant is like a rope; the one who feels
the trunk says the elephant is like a tree branch; the one who feels the ear says the
elephant is like a hand fan; the one who feels the belly says the elephant is like a wall;
and the one who feels the tusk says the elephant is like a solid pipe. All the men claimed
to know the true form of an elephant, but could only partly know due to their limited
perspectives. None could afford to be absolute about their beliefs.)

Where do you see a parallel with anekantavada in Unitarian Universalism?
(Answer: UUs draw from many sources as diverse as science, poetry, scriptures, and
personal experience. Wisdom is drawn from the world’s religions, humanist teachings,
as well as teachings of earth-centered traditions, as UUs believe that truth and spiritual
meaning can be found in all faith traditions.)
Learning Activity: What is ahimsa? (25 minutes)
Teacher summarizes: Ahimsa is the most important Jain principle of abstaining from
violence and harm; thus prohibitions on eating meat, hunting, fishing, or any activity that
kills a living creature that is part of the Jain’s interdependent web of life. Jains view all
life forms as possessing souls, and were classified traditionally into categories based on
the number of senses a creature has:
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Beings with five senses (touch, taste, smell, see, hear) are highest: gods, humans,
animals, and hell-beings.
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Beings with four senses (touch, taste, smell, see) include insects.
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Beings with three senses (touch, taste, smell) include moths and smaller insects.
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Beings with two senses (touch, taste) include worms, shellfish, leeches, and minute
creatures.
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Beings with one sense (touch) include vegetables, trees, seeds, lichens and various
elemental bodies like clay (earth), fog (water), lightening (fire), wind (air).
Agree or Disagree:

Have youth stand in a large circle. As statements below are read aloud by teacher,
youth choose to step toward the center or not, depending on their level of
agreement with the particular statement (center is complete agreement, outer edge
is disagreement).
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After youth move and take their stand, invite them to look around and observe the
positions taken by peers. Respect and curiosity instead of judgment, please!

Invite quick comments/observations, before going to next statement.
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Read aloud: Consider the extent to which you would go to practice ahimsa:
o As a rule, I would choose not to hunt or kill an animal.
o I would choose not to fish.
o I would avoid killing insects as much as possible.
o I would consume vegetables and dairy, and avoid meat or eggs.
o I would avoid consuming most root vegetables that involve uprooting and killing
the entire plant (versus plucked leaves that do not kill the entire plant).
o I would oppose all acts of war.
o I would have opposed any attempt to assassinate Adolph Hitler.
o I would oppose all abortions except when it threatens the life of the mother.
o I would oppose legalizing euthanasia.
Vow of ahimsa: (5 minutes) Hand out attachment “Mission Ahimsa” and invite youth to
consider in/direct harm or violence from an everyday activity. Challenge them to come
up with an alternative approach and take the vow. Tape it up on the wall at home!
7. Say goodbye until next time: Extinguish the chalice, saying together:
“May the light of truth and the warmth of love go with us in our hearts.”
8. Help clean up classroom before leaving: Please keep regular practice of readying
classroom for the next class.
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leave lesson plan and all materials organized
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return blue/yellow stones to containers
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wipe the whiteboard clean
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tables and chairs neatly returned
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nametags collected in Ziploc bag
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leave any comments for RE staff on attendance sheets