24.04.2017 ►JAINA ►Newsletter

Jai Jinendra!

I hope you all are enjoying JAINA Mangalam App and exploring the various subjects covered under the App.

Gurudev Rakeshbhai Jhaveri, a jewel of our Community, is a unique young Jain leader of our times. We have strived to bring you his life story in this Newsletter.

Women have always been the inherent strength of our community. Jain religion perhaps survives in many of our homes due to the presence of the woman in our family. For the first time, JAINA Convention will host a special half-day Women’s Session to facilitate social, cultural and educational networking among women in our Community.

Sincerely,

Ashok Domadia
JAINA President & Chairman

The more you get, the more you want. The greed increases with the gain. What could be accomplished by two masas (grams) of gold could not be done by ten millions.

- Mahavira (Uttaradhyayana, 8/17)

Gurudev Rakeshbhai Jhaveri, popularly known among his followers as Bapa, was born on the auspicious day of 26th September 1966, to Smt.Rekhaben and Shri Dilipbhai Jhaveri, in a Jain family. At the tender age of four, He would often slip into meditation for long periods of time. At that young age, He would engage in conversations with his father on profound subjects like spiritual discrimination - recognising the Self as distinctly separate from the non-self. It was clearly evident that He was no ordinary child but a Divine Soul, destined to lead the world to great spiritual heights.

RAS-TYAG-is the forth type of bahya tap. This is very important and psychologically significant. It means renouncing those kinds of food and drink that provoke the passions and encourage the instructive excitements and provocations.It involves renouncing tasty food that one likes. There are many ways to limit the consumptions of tasty food. For example performing Ayambil tap, avoiding or reducing six laghu-vigay i.e-milk,curd,oil,ghee,sugar and jaggary and four maha-vigay i.e-honey,non-veg,liquor and butter.

This can be done in two ways:

Such type of abhigraha was undertaken by Lord Mahavira. He vowed that He would accept food only if soaked black peas were offered to him from a winnower,by a princess in chains,with shaved head,who had fasted for three days and who had tears flowing from her eyes. All these conditions should be fulfilled at one time.

Second way is to renounce the raw vigai and in this case,one should not consume only its raw form. Means he can not drink milk but he can consume its modified form. Like he can consume paneer,tea,coffee,sweets etc.

The same principle applies to other vigai also.

Mahavir’s preaching in this respect is now more adopted by western doctors. They tell their heart patients to reduce or stop the intake of milk,butter etc.

By willingly putting limit to the tasty foods, one can eradicate the karmas and better health also lowers the risk of heart diseases, diabetes etc.

Long time ago in the city of Kshitipratisthit, there was a king named Ritumardan. His wife, Madanarekha, was a very devoted and religious queen. She gave birth to a baby girl and named her Mairavati. The princess was beautiful and bright. As she grew older, the king arranged for her general education, while the queen took care of her spiritual teachings.

One day, when the court was in session the queen asked Mairavati to attend the court. She was dressed in her finest robe and jewelry. Her father, Ritumardan, had her sit on the throne with him. The king asked his courtiers, "Does anyone in this world have as much wealth as I do?"

Jain Center of America (JCA), New York celebrated Mahavir Janma Kalyanak program on Sunday, April 9, 2017. Mahavir Janma Kalyanak started with morning filled with spirituality at JCA-NY temple and colorful fun celebration at John Bowne High School in the evening followed by Swami vatsalya with the entire community.

The evening cultural program had more than 300 participants who presented 16 programs. Participants came from New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and Long Island. The program was attended by 1500+ people making it one of the highest attended Mahavir Janma Kalyanak program. This has all been made possible due to contribution and the community spirit of all the members and friends of JCA, who helped in making this a highly successful and memorable event.

JAIN CENTER OF CENTERAL FLORIDA

Jain Center of Central Florida celebrated Mahavir Jayanti 2017 with morning puja, cultural program and quiz "Kaun Banega Sabse Bada Gyani". Here are some interesting photos from the celebration.

Crispy mix dal dosas require no fermentation or gluten. You can have it as breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Ingredients:

1) 1 cup broken white urad dal
2) 1 cup yellow split moong dal
3) ½ cup split green gram dal / split green moong dal
4) ½ cup orange masoor dal

Instructions:

1) Wash all dals together 3 -4 times with water until you see clear water.
2) Soak the dals with with 4 cups or more water enough to cover the dal and soak it. Cover the bowl with a lid and let it stand for 4-5 hours, best is overnight.
3) It will almost double in size after soaking.
4) Drain the water if in excess and grind the dal in small batches.
5) Grind well to form a smooth batter. Add a tablespoon or 2 water to aid grinding if necessary. The batter is pancake / medium cake batter consistency. Let the batter stand for 15 minutes and then the batter is ready for use.
6) Add salt just before making the dosas.

Method:

1) Heat the nonstick pan, once warm spread the dosa on medium heat, then increase the heat while cooking
2) Add ghee/ oil whatever preferred and cook until golden brown
3) Take it out once done, no need to cook on other side.

Crispy Dosa is ready to eat. Have this dosa with coconut chutney and sambhar.

WOMEN’S CONFERENCE

For the first time in JAINA Convention we are having a half day Program for women empowerment. There will be interactive sessions about empowering women in all aspects of life.

This is a place for all women to have a platform where women can gather, discuss everyday issues, problems, be involved in creative activities and socialize in intellectual way.

All women will have a chance to meet like-minded ladies and establish a social cultural and educational network to grow together.

A new month's content of YJA Pathshala has been released! This month's content discusses karma theory, including punya and paap, and the relationship between karma and fate. The video focuses on the NavTattva, the 9 Jain Fundamentals. Check it out at yja.org/pathshala!

YJA's 10 official College Chapters have been hosting events across the country! From a lecture on Vipassana meditation at a UC Berkeley to the joint Mahavir Jayanti celebration organized by students at the University of Pennsylvania and University of the Sciences, we're proud of the work these groups have done this year! For more information on how to start a YJA College Chapter, email .

A dog, holding a piece of bread in his mouth, was going towards the forest. On his way, while he was crossing a pond of water, he saw his own reflection. He thought that there was another dog in the water, who holding another piece of bread in his mouth. He thought, "if I grab his piece of bread, I would have more bread". So when he opened his mouth to grab the piece of bread, his piece, dropped into the water. He felt very sad. The one, who wants the whole leaving the half, gets nothing.

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