Ahimsa Times
A sudden landslide on 31st July in Malin village in the Ambegaon tehsil of Pune destroyed the entire village and resulted in death of most of its residents. This disaster has also left many homes completely damaged. We feel concerned for all the family members, who have suffered the loss of their dear ones and their property. We hope the Central Government, the State Government of Maharashtra, NGOs working in that region and generous individuals will come forward to TIMELY REHABILITATE the victims of the catastrophe. We also express our commiserations for all who are no more with us after this disaster.
Innocent Killings in Philistine
Ahimsa Foundation and its Trustees express deep regrets for mindless violence resulting in death of large number of innocent men, women & children in Gaza city of Philistine in last few days. All peace loving institutions around the world should compel the concerned nations to resolve their squabbling and restore normalcy in the region. The long standing political issues should also be resolved as enough blood has been wasted in last five decades without any meaningful results. We express our heartfelt condolences for all who have lost their lives for no fault of theirs and pray for the departed souls.
Let us help you cope with grief, We hope with time you'll feel relief.
We can't replace the one who's gone, But let our concern help you carry on.
………………….Ahimsa Foundation
CHATURMAS (VARSHAYOG) FOR JAIN MONKS BEGINS
All our saints are settled for Chaturmas period of 2014 by now. We offer our respect to all the revered saints and sadhvis and pray for their good health particularly during fasting period.
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Chaturmas literally means "four months", derived from the Sanskrit chatur, "four", and masa, "month". Chaturmas means the four months of the monsoon, a practice observed by both Digamber and Shwetamber Jain monks and nuns. In Jainism this practice is collectively known as Varshayog and is prescribed for Jain monasticism. Wandering monks such as mendicants and ascetics in Jainism, believed that during the rain season, countless bugs, insects and tiny creatures that cannot be seen in the naked eye would be produced massively. Therefore, these monks reduce the amount of harm they do to other creatures so they opt to stay in a village for the four months to incur minimal harm to other lives. Because during this time the Jain monks and nuns have settled in the city/town for a longer duration, it is a suitable time for the householders to have an annual renewal of the faith by listening to the statement of the Dharma and by meditation and vartas (self-control). And for the Jain monks, almost as importantly, staying in one place during the monsoon reduces the risk of causing accidental death to numerous insects and smaller forms of life that thrive during the rains.Chaturmas begins on Ekadashi of Ashadha month and ends on Ekadashi of Kartik month. these four holy months are have much importance in Hindu and jain religion of India.
Process of Chaturmas in Jain Agam - Monks and nuns can not declare their chaturmas prior to samvatsari according to Jain agam "Kalpasutra". If they do so, the house holds repairs, paints etc. is carried out in the upashray or other places specified for chaturmas. Violence is involved in all these acts and the monks and nuns are held liable for these violence. Hence, they are not allowed to declare their chaturmas pre-samvatsari. It is also said in Jain Agam (Shastra) that the monks and nuns ask house holds for accommodation. If they agree monks and nuns can stay there for chaturmas. However, the present day practices are different. Shravak Sangh (Jain house holds) approach monks and nuns for chaturmas. If they agree they arrange for chaturmas. This practice is against Jain Agam. Source: Jyoti Kothari, www.blog.jainee.com
TEMPLES
RAJASTHAN GOVERNMENT BID TO TAKEOVER DELWADA JAIN TEMPLES THWARTED
July 20, 2013, A tussle between the ASI and the Jain Community for the ownership is causing conflict and confusion at famous Delwada temples at Mount Abu. The temples are world famous for their structural intricacy and architecture. The Archaeological Survey of India has announced its decision to declare the 1,000-year-old temples as protected monuments. However, the Jain Community and the trustees of the temple do not agree with Governmental interferences in their religious institutions. The issue was started in March last year, when the ASI declared that the Delwada temples, dedicated to the first and twenty second Jain Tirthankar Rishabhdevji and Neminathji, would be declared protected monuments. The Delwara temples were built in eleventh century at a cost of Rupees twenty crores by Vimal Shah, who was a minister in the court of King Bhimdeva of Gujarat.
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The ASI after their inspection, have filed reports about poor upkeep of the temples and the urgent need of proper restoration work. Thereafter, the Rajasthan Government has ordered the trust authorities to hold all the repair work. The ASI has complained about the extremely poor quality of repair work which is damaging the originality of the temple. However, the trustees of the Seth Parmanandji Trust, which manages the temples do not agree with ASI and the Government. According to the trust, it is an unnecessary interference and an excuse to take over the temples.
According to trust authorities, they have been regularly carrying out the restoration of carvings and repairs in the temples for last 34 years. The new carvings can never be as good as the originals, but at least, they are trying to preserve them. The indignant trustees claim that since 1942, several lakhs have been spent on renovation work and the trust is in position to spend the required amount.
According to the trust authorities, the Government will not even be able to spend half of what they can do. However ASI officials allege that under the pretext of restoration, several priceless carvings have been sold at fancy prices after being replaced with mediocre duplicates. Refuting this as "malicious propaganda", a furious trust authorities have challenged the ASI to produce evidence to prove their claim. The trust has written to B. D. Kalla, the Rajasthan Archaeology Minister in January this year, and invited him to make an on the spot enquiry. The trustees of the temple have also approached to Rajasthan High Court, soon after the Government ordered a stop to all renovation work. The trust has filed a writ petition in the Rajasthan High Court praying that the Government order be vacated. It has also applied for a stay order to prevent a Government take-over. The court has granted an interim stay, after appointing a committee to supervise the repair work.
SEVERAL JAIN ROCK BEDS FOUND AT VELLORE HILLS
Jul 21, 2014, Chennai: Several Jain rock beds dating back to the 5th century AD have been excavated inside three caverns on top of a hill in Vellore district.
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The beds were found on the Bhairavamalai in Latheri on the Vellore-Gudiyattam road when Jeeva Kumar, a Jain priest, was on a study tour in search of abandoned and neglected Jain sites in Tamil Nadu. Recently, the locals Jains have built a temple near the caverns. They have also built a flight of 1300 steps for the new temple. Jain priest Jeeva Kumar has earlier also excavated a number of Jain sites in various parts of Tamil Nadu.
The hill is situated in a small village called Kukkara Palli and scholars say the word 'palli' has a strong association with Jainism. "The hill must have been a centre of Jainism in the 5th and 6th century. The ascetics used to call their education centre as 'palli'. Out of the two small caverns, one houses four rock beds while the other has only one rock bed. The big cavern, however, houses nine beds. A natural spring is found very near the two small caverns. According to Jeeva Kumar, since the local people don't know the importance of the site, they hardly bother to take care of it. After the construction of the temple near the caverns on top of the hill, those who pass by try to vandalize the site after entering the ancient caverns. The rock beds have been facing ruins due to lack of care. The vandals also add their contribution to them. According to the local Jain Community, even though there are a number of Jain sites excavated by heritage enthusiasts and scholars in the state, they are not being taken seriously either by the Archaeological Survey of India or the state-owned department of archaeology.
12TH CENTURY JAIN INSCRIPTION FOUND
Jul 23, 2014, Bangalore: Devagiri, a village in Karnataka is set to become a new attraction for historians as a 12th century inscription and two idols of Jain teerthankaras from that period have been unearthed there.
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During the Kadamba rule between the fourth and sixth centuries, Devagiri was known as Bruhat Paraluru (mega congregation) and was the seat of one of the biggest Jain dynasties. Ravikumar K Navalagunda, a lecturer in the Government College has discovered an inscription dating back to the 12th century in the village.
Recently, a few villagers were digging the ground near what is now called the Basavanna temple in Devagiri to build a water tank when they discovered the two idols. During digging, the 'Prabhavali' (halo around a teerthankara's body) carved around one of the idols was damaged.
The village now has only six families who practice Jainism. However, all the villagers took the idols in a procession after the find. The idols are 140x60 cm and 83x36 cm.
UNIQUE JAIN TEMPLE: 1400 PILLARS, NO REPEAT OF CARVINGS, LOOK MAGNIFICENT EVEN AFTER 600 YEARS
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Jodhpur: Various temples in Rajasthan are known for their majestic grandeur. Ranakpur Jain temple, situated in the midst of the Aravali valley, is considered to be one of the finest example of traditional architecture and intricate carvings. The temple is spreads over an area of 40,000 square feet. This was built in 15th century by Rana Kumbha of Mewar who spent Rs. 99 lakh on its construction.
The temple stands on more than 1,400 pillars with beautiful carvings on each pillar. The architectural design is such that standing by each pillar will give a clear view of the entire holy site.
The carvings on each pillar is different from other pillars and unique in their subject. The temple premises still have 650 year old trees.
SAINTS
SAI BABA IS A DIVINE AMBASSADOR - MUNI CHANDRAPRABH SAGAR JI
July 7, 2014, Indore: Some of the recent statements of Shankracharya Swaroopaand about Sai Baba of Shirdi have shaken the religious fraternity. Shankracharya Swaroopaand is not prepared to withdraw his observations and Sai followers are deeply upset for the humiliations suffered by Sai Baba commune, again and again by most respected and revered Hindu Saint.
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Sai community loughed country wide protest and demonstration against Shankracharya Swaroopaand's statements.
Expressing his opinion on the issue, Muni Chandraprabh Sagarji defines Sai Baba as a special emissary of god. He says, to correct the ills in society god sends his representatives to earth from time to time and Sai Baba was also one of those ambassadors of god. He came to this earth for the welfare of the entire mankind.
He must be respected for his contributions. We must show our benevolence towards his sacrifices. It is not proper to create any unnecessary controversy at this point of time. However, no one can be compared or designated as god. Presently, Muni Chandraprabh Sagar Ji is holding his 2014 Chaturmas at Indore.
ACHARYA OF TERAPANTH MAHASHRAMANA HOLDS CHATURMAS RALLY
July 07, 2014, New Delhi: Acharya Mahashramana the supreme leader of Jain Shwetambar Terapanth Dharm Sangh is in Delhi as a part his visit for Chaturmas 2014.
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The 4 months holy visit of Acharyaji was started on 2nd July and ends on 7th November. The program was started with a rally from KLG Marg to Sadhna Kendra in Chattarpur.
In this rally vital issue like environment safety, drug addiction, female feticide and women empowerment were raised by the Terapanth Yuvak Parishad, Mahila Mandal and Kanya Mandal.
Senior BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani also attended this program and showed his gratitude to Acharya ji for his visit to Delhi. Advani said, satsang is very important to eradicate fetid thoughts from the society. He also shared his childhood days which he spent in Sindh and Karachi before moving to Rajasthan after independence.
Union Cabinet Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Sector Enterprises Anant Geete, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot and BJP leaders like Satya Narayan Jatia, Arun Jain and Brahm Sing Tanwar also attended the program.
JAIN RELIGIOUS LEADERS MEET GOVERNOR K SANKARANARAYANAN
July 21, 2014, Mumbai: A delegation of Jain religious leaders and followers led by Member of State Legislative Assembly Mangal Prabhat Lodha met Governor K. Sankaranarayanan at Raj Bhavan.
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The delegation requested the Governor to direct the State Government to take necessary steps for the immediate implementation of the law banning cow slaughter (Gouvansh Raksha Kanoon) in the State. M. P. Lodha informed the Governor that the State Legislature had passed a bill banning cow slaughter 18 years ago.
He said, the bill was referred by the State Government to the Central Government which in turn had asked for a detailed report. He said that despite three reminders from the centre, the State Government had not submitted its report.
Muni Vinamrasagarji, Gani Vitraghyash, Girish Shah, Sanjay Shah, Kanak Parmar, Laxminarayan Chandak and others were also present.
SOCIAL ORGANISATIONS SHOULD COME FORWARD TO MAKE GANGA POLLUTION FREE- ACHARYA LOKESH MUNI
Eminent Jainacharya and founder of ahimsa Vishwa Bharti Acharya Dr. Lokesh Muni addressing Ganga Manthan, the National dialogue on Ganga organised by Government of India in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi said that to make Ganga pollution free religious leaders and social organizations have to organise public awareness campaign. Bhagwan Mahavir Philosophy on Environment can prove to be very useful on this issue. He said that former government had declared Ganga to be the national river.
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There are provisions of punishment if national flag is disregarded, if national animal/ bird are harmed, similar provision of punishment should be there if National River is polluted. He said that when the same Indian Citizen goes to other country does not through garbage on roads but they through garbage on road in India because law is not strictly enforced in India.
Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Ms. Uma Bharti has said that whole country is committed for continuous and uninterrupted flow of Ganga from Gangotri to Ganga Sagar. Speaking at Ganga Manthan, the National dialogue on Ganga here today, she said there won't be any shortage of funds for Ganga Rejuvenation Progamme. Speaking on the occasion Union Tourism and Culture Minister Shri Shripada Yasso Naik gave an over view of the plans for development of river Ganga as major tourism destination. He said tourism spots will be developed all along the banks of Ganga from Gangotri to Ganga Sagar. Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Shri Nitin Gadkari in his address said that to make Ganga pollution free a project to earn 80 thousand rupees from the polluted water and garbage falling in Ganga is under consideration. He said that for Continuous and Uninterrupted Flow of Ganga Government of India is will work with determination keeping the historical, cultural, and spiritual aspects alive.
On the occasion Jagatguru Shankracharya Shri Vasudevanand Saraswati, Jagatguru Ramanujacharya Shri Hansdevacharya, Madhvacharya of Udipi Math, Swamy Avimukteshvanand Saraswati, Mahamandaleshwar Shri Gyananand] Acharya Balkishan, Swamy Chinmayanand, Swamy Jiteshwaranand Saraswati, Pramukh Granthi of Sikh religion Bhai Santokh Singh, Father M.D. Thomas fro Christian religion expressed their views. On the occasion many environmentalists, scientists and representatives of social organisations gave their suggestions. Source: Kenu Agarwal, Media Convener,Ahimsa Vishwa Bharti, Acharya Lokesh Ashram, 9811025332, E-Mail: ,
HONOURS & AWARDS
D. P. JAIN ELECTED INDO-CANADA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRESIDENT
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July 25, 2014, Toronto: Dharma Prakash Jain, a noted financial professional, has been elected the President of the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce. Dharma Prakash Jain, who succeeds Naval Bajaj, was elected at the ICCC's annual general meeting held in Toronto on July 17.
He will be the 26th president of the ICCC, an organisation dedicated to promote bilateral social, cultural and economic ties between the two countries. Jain, a finance professional with over 25 years of experience, has been serving on the ICCC board for the past three years, handling finance and affinity programmes. According to D. P. Jain, the Chamber is a great business and commerce institution with deep roots in the Indian diaspora.
It has achieved its status as a preeminent organisation of Indo-Canadians because of the sterling contributions of many business and community leaders and is committed to achieve free trade agreement between the two countries. He will steer the body successfully to fulfil its twin mandates of fostering Canada-India trade relations and creating opportunities for Canadians of Indian-origin.
TAMIL NADU INSTITUTES LITERARY AWARD AFTER JAIN POET ILANGO ADIGAL
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July 25, 2014, Chennai: Seeking to honour scholars, whose works complement or spread the glory of Tamil epic 'Silappathikaram' of Ilango Adigal, a Jain prince-turned poet, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa has instituted an award in his name.
Expressing her satisfaction in State Assembly she said, "I am happy to announce a new award after Ilango Adigal's name, who gave the world famous Silappathikaram.
Anyone writing in line with the Jain Prince or spread the glory of the ancient text of "Silappathikaram" would be eligible for this award.
The recipient of this award would get a cash prize of Rs one lakh, a one sovereign gold medal and a citation on Tamil New Year day, celebrated in the Tamil month of Chithirai (April) every year."
SANJAY JAIN APPOINTED ADD. SOLICITOR GENERAL
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New Delhi: The BJP Government has appointed a new Additional Solicitor General for Delhi High Court. In a notification issued by the Law Ministry, the Government has appointed Senior Advocate Sanjay Jain as the ASG for Delhi HC.
Sanjay Jain enrolled as an advocate in 1985 and has almost 30 years experience. He was standing counsel for the Central Government during 2001-04 and was Special Counsel for the Centre in the Justice Venkataswami Enquiry Commissions probing Tehelka allegations. He has also represented the Government in Special Tribunals for banning outlawed organizations like UPLFA.
LIFE TIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD 2014 OFFERED TO DR. TATER
Life Time Achievement Award 2014 has been offered to Prof. (Dr.) Sohan Raj Tater for contributions and services to society on 20 July 2014 by Central Govt. approved reputed organization "All India Economy survey Award Council" New Delhi at a function held at Shivaji Stadium, New Delhi. Soucre: Prof. (Dr.) Sohan Raj Tater, Former Vice Chancellor, Singhania University, Rajasthan.
COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS AROUND THE WORLD
INDIA HAS IMPORTANT ROLE IN GLOBAL PEACE AND DISARMAMENT - PRESIDENT, PRANAB MUKARJEE
In Picture: President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee with Jain Delegation in his office.
From left to right, Ms. Shobna Jain, Sh. Subhash Oswal, President, Dr. Lokesh Muni & Sh. Anil Kumar Jain.
New Delhi, 18th July 2014: President of India Shri Paranab Mukherjee said that Bhagwan Mahavir and Bhagwan Budha had given the message of Non-Violence, Peace and Harmony. Our county adopting their path has always stressed the need of Peace, Disarmament and Human Development globally. He said that principles of Jain Religion are very important and relevant for Global Peace and Human Welfare.
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Shri Paranb Mukherjee was addressing a Jain Delegation at Rastrapati Bhawan on the beginning of "Global Peace Harmony Tour" of Acharya Dr. Lokesh Muni. It is noteworthy that Acharya Lokesh will address "Peace, Security and Human Development" seminar in Seoul Korea.
President said that the universal truth of Bhagwan Mahavira's philosophy and teaching make them equally applicable to the modern world. For contemporary problems like erosion of environment and natural resources, violence through war and terrorism, religious intolerance, and economic exploitation of poor, answers could be found in his teachings. Bhagwan Mahavira's doctrines of Anekant and Ahimsa are a meaningful approach to address this growing crisis. He further stated that Bhagwan Mahavira's teachings are in consonance with the need to mitigate economic disparity.
On the occasion Jain delegation present 'Ambassador of Peace Acharya Dr. Lokesh' a pictorial album to the President. Senior journalist and social worker Ms. Shobhna Jain on the occasion said that Indian Constitution is based on the philosophy of Bhagwan Mahavir which gives the inspiration for tolerance and harmony. On the occasion senior Jain leader Shri Subhash Oswal Jain gave information about the programs run by Ahimsa Vishwa Bharti. Shri Anil Kumar Jain head of Ahimsa Foundation thanked the president for his valuable time and his concern for welfare of Jain Community and its institutions. Source: Kenu Agarwal, Media Convener,Ahimsa Vishwa Bharti, Acharya Lokesh Ashram, 9811025332, E-Mail: ,
JAIN SPORTS FESTIVAL ORGANISED AT INDORE BY MPTTA
Jul 29, 2014, Indore, The four-day long Jain Sports Festival ended on 27th July. The event was jointly organized by Indore based Jain Social Group and Madhya Pradesh Table Tennis Association. In badminton, Amishi Jain beat Paridhi Jain in the final of girls' category, while Rachitraj Dangi clinched the title in boys' category by defeating Nilay Jain.
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Amishi once again trounced Paridhi to win women's category while in men's category, Kapil Ajmera defeated Rachitraj Dangi. In chess, Ananya Shrimali was crowned the champion in girls' category, while Rahul Jain won in Boys category. Meanwhile, Samta Maru and Mohit Bothra won titles in Women's and Men's categories respectively. In table-tennis event, Harsh Kataria beat Nitik Badjatia in boys' category, while Khushi Jain beat Aashi Shrimal in girls' category. Men's category saw Alok Jain defeating Ajesh Bafna in the final, while Vidhi Mehta beat Aashi Shrimal in the final of women's category. Meanwhile; Lalit Bhandari beat Sanjay Jain in the veteran's category, to claim silver. In carom, Anmol Bhandari secured the first position in boys' category, while Nany Maru won in the girls' category. Meanwhile; Madhu Makwana won the title in women's category, while Manish Bhandari was bagged trophy in Men's category. President of Shwetambar Jain Samaj, Chandalmalji Chordia awarded the winners and runner ups with trophies and congratulated them on their success.
READER'S VIEWS
JAINISM & ISLAM: MORE SIMILAR THAN YOU THINK - AAMIR HUSSAIN, MUSLIM INTERFAITH ACTIVIST
8th July, 2014, Perhaps no two faith traditions are viewed as more divergent than Islam and Jainism. Indeed, the former is often associated with violence and extremism, while the latter is usually known for its inspiration for peaceful civil rights movements through its concept of ahimsa (nonviolence). As a Muslim of Indian background, I have wondered how to counter misinformation about my religion while striving to build greater interfaith connections among traditions common in South Asia. Fortunately, attending the Young Jains of America Convention (YJA) from July 3-6, 2014 has shown me that Islam and Jainism share some surprising similarities, and that the shared experiences of both groups in the United States can be translated into common action for the common good.
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One commonality stems from the concept of nonviolence. The Jain saint Mahavira taught that all life is sacred, and that beings should always avoid harming one another. This idea is known as ahimsa. However, I learned at YJA that nonviolence does not equate to passivity or a lack of action; rather, much like the movements of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Nelson Mandela, ahimsa involves an active pursuit for justice for all beings. In this way, ahimsa shares some similarities with Islam.
In Islam, the word jihad (meaning "struggle" in Arabic) is frequently misunderstood, and often refers to an inner moral struggle within a person, much like a decision of conscience. Even when the term is applied in the military context, violence in Islam is intended as a last resort, and must only be used in self-defense or in the pursuit of justice. Islam wholly respects the sanctity of life: the Quran (in referencing the Talmud) states that, "[Allah] decreed...that whosoever killeth a human being...it shall be as if he had killed all mankind, and whoso saveth the life of one, it shall be as if he had saved the life of all mankind." (Quran 5:32, Babylonian Talmud Sanhedrin 37a). The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) discouraged violence as much as possible, and often suffered physical harm rather than retaliating against his oppressors. These messages seem to be conveniently forgotten by terrorists who pervert the message of Islam to achieve their own agendas.
However, the example of Ghaffar "Badshah" Khan, a Pashtun Muslim and close friend of Gandhi, illustrates similarities between Jainism and Islam. Khan was inspired by Gandhi's ahimsa principles to found a nonviolent resistance organization for Muslims that attracted over 100,000 members. In a famous speech, he told his followers, "I am going to give you such a weapon that the police and the army will not be able to stand against it. It is the weapon of the Prophet [Muhammad], but you are not aware of it. That weapon is patience and righteousness." This group, called the "Servants of God," was integral to Gandhi's early efforts to present a united, interfaith, nonviolent front against British rule of the Indian subcontinent.
At YJA, I also learned that ahimsa extends to non-humans, and that by avoiding the consumption of animal products, Jains seek to limit their harm to nature. Upon reflection, I realized that although nearly all Muslims eat some meat, we respect animals as Allah's creations that must be treated with dignity. In fact, one purpose of slaughtering meat in the dhabiha manner is to minimize the animal's suffering as much as possible. Some stories from the Islamic tradition also highlight our religion's respect for nature. The Quran narrates that when the prophet Solomon (PBUH) was marching his army through a valley he thanked God for the ability to appreciate nature and ordered his soldiers to avoid harming any of the ants (Quran 27:18-19). Also, Muslims are told that a spider once saved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)'s life. When the Prophet once hid in a cave to escape his persecutors, a spider spun a web over the cave's entrance. Upon reaching the cave, the oppressors decided not to search it because they concluded that there was no way that the Prophet could have gotten inside without breaking the web.
My final major observation from YJA was that both Jain and Muslim youth consider ourselves to be proud Americans. An anecdote from a game of "Taboo" illustrates this idea: one player was trying to describe the word "cow" and said, "This animal is sacred in our country." Without hesitation, everyone guessed, "The bald eagle?" After laughing for several minutes, we all realized that we considered the United States as "our country." We might all have Indian heritage, but all of us love fireworks on the Fourth of July, supporting the U.S. soccer team, and belting out "The Star-Spangled Banner."
Experiences like YJA remind me again and again of the potential for interfaith cooperation to bring diverse groups of people together. For instance, I was deeply moved when one YJA staff member asked whether I would need special accommodations during the conference, since he knew I was observing Ramadan. To me, interfaith understanding is a central part of American history and a key reflection of the common saying E Pluribus Unum. As I have previously written, South Asians are a relatively small community in the U.S., and we can accomplish much more by working together across lines of religious difference. Our shared immigrant experiences, our religions' emphases on social justice, and our cultural heritage can provide the common ground needed to act jointly on common issues such as combating racial stereotypes and eliminating poverty. I am grateful to YJA for the opportunity to attend this past convention, and I resolve to continue advocating for greater Jain-Muslim interfaith work. After all, dialogue is just the beginning; we need interfaith action to truly make a positive difference.
FESTIVALS
GURU PURNIMA A FESTIVAL OF DIVERSE RELIGIOUS FAITHS
Guru Purnima is observed by the diverse religious faiths i.e. Jains, Buddhists, Hindus and Sikhs and it also has a strong message of environmental harmony. One of the common factors in our traditions is learning wisdom from an enlightend teacher, (a Guru) one who removes darkness of our ignorance. The religious traditions believe Guru is an important part of our lives as they help us understand the great religion based spiritual teachings with roots in the scriptures. Each one of our traditions has several gurus and guru lineages whose teachings we follow in various ways and we have a special day to honor them! Our traditions calls upon us to honor and pay respect to our Guru (Spiritual Guide) on this day.
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In Jain tradition, Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara, after attaining Kaivalya, made Indrabhuti Gautam, later known as Gautam Swami, a Ganadhara, his first disciple, thus becoming a Guru himself. Buddhists honor the memory of Buddha who gave His first sermon on this day at Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh, India. Hindu traditional celebrations vary. In the yogic tradition, Shiva became the first Guru, as he began the transmission of yoga to the Saptarishis. Ved Vyasa, author of Mahabharat, was not only believed to have been born on this day, but also to have started writing the Brahma Sutras on ashadha sudha padyami. Sikhs honor the Ten Gurus of Sikhism and the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy book as the eleventh perpetual guru of the Sikhs.
Guru Purnima falls on the day of full moon, Purnima, in the month of Ashadh (June-July) of the Lunar calendar. This was the start of the rainy season in which travel was difficult. (Traditionally Gurus traveled, remained unattached as they moved from place to place teaching). However, for four months - Chaturmas - the Gurus did not travel. They stayed in one place and taught the people of that community. So the community started this period by honoring the Guru and settling to learn from him/her. The dictates of the natural seasons of Mother Earth guided our Gurus and the communities. Now, many of us hope our communities will honor the teachings from the ancient times and sustain Mother Earth by taking steps to reduce our carbon footprint and develop EcoDharmic conservation habits. On this auspicious day of Guru Purnima, as we honor our Spiritual guides, and thank the great Vedic Gurus who from ancient times have held a light to remove the darkness of our ignorance, we urge all to remember the environmental harmony in which our traditions coexisted and celebrated. We hope our Gurus teachings will guide us to become environmental stewards for generations to come.
RECOMMENDED READING / NEW BOOK LAUNCHES
JAIN DHARMA KA PARICHAY: By Acharya Bhuvanabhanu
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356 pages, Paperback Rs. 100, This is a well thought out introduction to various aspects of the Jain religion. It conveys the essence of the Jain doctrine which were composed thousands of years ago, in Prakrit, Sanskrit, Tamil, Apabhramsha and Kannada. The seemingly technical content of Jain scriptures has been lucidly conveyed. Complex philosophical ideas are explained in a reader-friendly manner.
Upon reading this work, one comes away with a very clear and unequivocal idea of the Jain doctrine. This book is suggestive reading for anyone who wishes to study Jainism. Each chapter of the book is fairly short, and is followed by simple questions. If you can answer those questions correctly, you have understood the chapter. The author, Gacchadhipati Acarya Bhuvanabhanu Suri was one of the leading Jain scholars of the 20th century.
He was the Gacchadhipati of the Tapa Gaccha, in the illustrious lineage of Gacchadhipati Acarya Dana Suri and Gacchādhipati Ācārya Prema Sūri. His ascetic order, now under the able headship of Gacchādhipati Ācārya Jayaghośa Sūri, is perhaps the largest ascetic order in the Jain community today. Ācārya Bhuvanabhānu was a profound scholar of Prakrit, Sanskrit and Gujarati and had mastered every aspect of Indian philosophy. His gift was to be able to explain advanced concepts of philosophy in the simplest language. His exhaustive Gujarati commentary on Ācārya Haribhadra’s Sanskrit gloss on the Śakra Stava, known as the Parama Teja, is said to be one of the masterpieces of the 20th century and places Ācārya Bhuvanabhānu in the same estimable class of scholiasts as Ācārya Haribhadra, Ācārya Hemacandra and Upādhyāya Yaśovijaya. Source: Manish Yashodhar Modi, Hindi Granth Karyalay, E-Mail:
NEW YOUTUBE LINKS
Muni Viharsha Sagar is asking those who believe in non-violence to go vegan.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPMB-lnkAtg&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Courtesy: Mr. Manish Modi, E-Mail:
MISCELLANEOUS
A YEAR AFTER IDOL THEFT: MOODBIDRI TEMPLE REMAINS SHUT
Mangalore, Jul 6: It's been a year since the sensational theft of ancient idols worth crores of rupees from the Siddhanta Mandir at Moodbidri. Around 19 idols made of gold and encrusted with pearls, precious stones and diamonds were stolen on the night of July 5 from Siddantha Mandir of Guru Basadi. The theft had grabbed much media attention, and the police investigation teams had traversed four states in search of the idols, nabbing prime accused Ghanshyam alias Santosh Das in Andhra Pradesh, his wife Deeptimoyee Mohanty and father-in-law Digambar Mohanty from Odisha and jeweller Subhash Sancheti alias Raja from Chattisgarh. Some of the idols were recovered from Mohanty's home at Bhubaneswar. All the idols that were stolen from the Siddhanta Mandir have been found, but they haven't reached the Basadi yet. The politicians had even promised to set up a police outpost in Jain Pete, but it continues to remain a promise. The proposed construction of a full-fledged Siddhanta Mandir also remains unfulfilled. The lock that has been put on the main doors of the temple is yet to be opened.
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Jains around the world had protested against this act. Various saints and swamijis also staged a hunger strike. Taking it as a challenge, the then police commissioner Manish Karbhikar had been successful in tracing the accused and recovering a few of the idols. Santosh's father-in-law Digambardas Mohanty and wife Deeptimoyee was firs arrested for supporting him. A person who purchased those idols, a jeweller named Raja alias Subhash Sancheti from Chhattisgarh was arrested, but the police were still unable to trace the remaining idols. The idol thief and the purchaser were said to have strong political connections and hence the police were finding it very difficult to trace the idols. Then, even as the Karnataka state government got ready to hand over the case to the CBI, both the accused and their supporters, worried by the development, couriered the stolen idols to Mangalore police commissioner's office on November 5. It was, however, later said that some of the idols that were in melted form, were not the actual ones, and that the actual idols were sold in Bangkok for a whopping Rs 2,400 crore. But there was no official confirmation of this development.
The main door and the windows of the temple have been shut ever since the incident. The other worship idols of the temple are kept in bank safe lockers. Proposals were passed for the reconstruction of a strong, safe and secure temple, but nothing has been done so far. After the incident, the then union minister M Veerappa Moily had a discussion with the Jain community leaders, led by Swasthishree Bhattaraka Charukeerthi Pandithacharya Swamiji of Jain Math, with regard to the various security measures to be carried out. Moily had also promised to open set up a police outpost in a week, but even after a year, the promise has remained just that.
After arresting the accused and taking the idols into their possession, the police submitted a charge sheet in the Moodbidri court. The investigating officers urged the archeological department to check the value of these idols, but the department rejected the request. Bhattaraka Charukeethi Pandithacharyavarya Swamiji of Jain Math has mentioned that, as the idols have not yet reached the temple, they will be observing July 5 as a black day in Moodbidri. They will also perform various religious rituals for the recovery of the idols.
LATA MANGESHKAR CROONS AN ALBUM FOR JAIN COMMUNITY
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Mumbai: With living legend, Lata Mangeshkar having sung songs from almost every genre, the songstress has now crooned an entire album for the Jain community. The album comprises chants and bhajans. However for the 84 year old, it was no less than a challenge. In her words, it was not easy.
Getting the pronunciation and diction absolutely right has always been important for me. Early in my career, I had got myself Sanskrit and Urdu teachers who would come to my recordings at studios to sit and teach me the languages during the breaks.
Mangeshkar feels that somewhere down the line the religious beliefs of Jains are not articulated properly, thus her vocals could do justice to them. Mangeshkar feels it is very important to be 100 per cent correct in articulating religious and spiritual thoughts. Centuries of thoughts go into these teachings. One cannot be careless with religious sentiments. I am happy to learn languages through my singing and to polish up my diction. Every artiste remains a student all her life. I am no exception," she said.
GRAND PREMIERE FOR ARMAAN JAIN'S FILM HOSTED IN MUMBAI
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Armaan Jain, now a member of Kapoor dynasty hosted impressive premiere to launch his debut film Lekar Hum Deewana Dil. Raj Kapoor was India's biggest showman. Much like his films, which every actor wanted to be a part of, his premieres too were on the wish list and sought after. 3rd July night almost every notable member of film fraternity was present to bless Armaan Jain for his debut in Lekar Hum Deewana Dil. Besides many others, prominent guests included Jaya and Abhishek Bachchan, Shweta Nanda, Rakesh and Pinky Roshan, AR Rahman, Jeetendra, David Dhawan, Prem Chopra, Shah Rukh and Gauri Khan, Karan and Hiroo Johar, Rishi, Neetu and Ranbir Kapoor, Rekha and a host of directors, young actors and actresses.
BJP RAILWAY BUDGET GIVES PALITANA DIRECT LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN
Rajkot: Jain community members wanting to go to Palitana have something to cheer in the Railway Budget. Railways minister Sadanand Gowda has announced Mumbai-Palitana weekly express train in the Budget for 2014-15. The demand for a direct train to Palitana from Mumbai had been hanging fire since a long time. Palitana is the most sacred Jain pilgrimage place and there are large number of Jains living in Mumbai who regularly visit the town. This weekly train will be very convenient for them. Presently, there is just one train running between Bhavnagar and Palitana. This is the first long distance train to the temple town. Every year, Palitana receives around 10 lakh tourists, mostly from Jain community, and large numbers from Mumbai.
JAINS PITCH FOR A GREENER CHORLA GHAT, GOA
KERI: The Jain community of Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra has jointly decided to undertake a massive tree plantation drive along the Chorla Ghat region to plant 10,000 trees of indigenous species. According to the community leaders, they are giving top priority to environment protection as this provides ultimate happiness and prosperity.
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In the words of Rajeev Doddavanavar, Secretary of Bharatesh Education Trust of Belgaum, they with the help of around 400 selected students and likeminded people have decided to undertake a tree plantation drive. Jain religion from time immemorial has always given importance to protection of wildlife, ecology and environment. Development shouldn't be at the cost of destroying the environment and degrading the ecology. During the four-month long auspicious Chaturmas period of the Jain community that began on July 13, different indigenous species of trees will be planted by taking the essential permission of the forest department in the open spaces available along the Chorla Ghat.
CBI COURT FINES JAIN FAMILY RS. 50 LAKH FOR VIOLATING WILDLIFE REGULATIONS
A court here has ordered a family to pay a fine of Rs.50 lakh for failing to produce before it over 100 kg of ivory articles recovered from their residence in 1999. Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Special Judge slapped the fine on R. K. Jain, his wife Sarita and mother Sushila while upholding a magisterial court order.
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The court was hearing an appeal filed by Jain and his family challenging the magisterial court order that directed them to pay Rs.50 lakh for failing to produce before it the ivory articles.
The court in its order allowed a wildlife inspector to show an estimated market price of the ivory articles, so that the remaining amount may be recovered from the accused for causing disappearance of the items. The family told the court that in May 1999, a debt recovery officer had visited their house in Darya Ganj in their absence to carry out attachment proceedings as Jain's father was part of a firm that had failed to repay credit facilities to a bank. The debt recovery officer found the ivory articles and seized them. The articles were later given back to the family by the presiding officer of the debt recovery tribunal.
The Jains later denied having any such articles. As per a complaint filed by the wildlife inspector, the articles were released to the family by the debt recovery tribunal, and that they were in possession of the ivory articles without licence.
HINDUS SEEK HEINZ AUSTRALIA APOLOGY FOR BEEF USAGE IN DRINKS
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Hindus are urging Heinz Australia to publicly apologize for hurting their feelings by not being open about the usage of beef in their juice/drinks production in the past. Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA), said that cow was held sacred by Hindus and was considered the seat of many deities. Consuming beef was considered sacrilegious among Hindus. Rajan Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, pointed out that Heinz Australia should have clearly disclosed on their juice/drinks labels the usage of beef in the production process, thus alerting the Hindus and other consumers. Moreover, Heinz Australia should also have clarified the usage of alcohol in the manufacturing of their juice/drinks as many Hindus were teetotalers and parents would not like to give that juice/drinks to children where alcohol was used in the production process. Heinz Australia should overhaul its labeling practices and bring more transparency, thus helping the consumer make conscious decisions, Rajan Zed stressed. Headquartered in Victoria with history going back to 1880s, Heinz Australia is a $1 billion company with four manufacturing facilities.
THEFT AT HISTORIC JAIN TEMPLE IN BHAYANDAR
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July 29, 2014, Unidentified robbers broke into the historic Bavan Jinalay Jain Temple in Bhayandar and decamped with the entire cash collected in the temple's donation box and the gold crown.
The break-in apparently took place during the wee hours, however it came to light when the priest and devotees arrived at the temple for the regular prayers early on 28th morning.
Although the police are trying to capture details of images captured by the CCTV camera installed in the temple, the miscreants who seem to be two in number in an apparent attempt to hide their identities had cleverly changed the direction of the camera before committing the crime. Irate over the brazen temple theft, the local Jain Community which has a sizeable presence in the region have demanded immediate arrest of the culprits. Police is carrying out further investigations into the case.
THIEVES STRIKE NEEMUCH (M. P.) JAIN TEMPLE AGAIN
July 07, 2014, Neemuch, Thieves broke into Jain temple, situated in Jamuniyakala village on 5th July night and took away umbrella of the idol, cash and coins from the donation box. This was the second time when thieves targeted this Jain temple. As per the information received, thieves firstly damaged the camera installed in the temple premises and then entered in the storerooms by breaking the locks. They ransacked the rooms and then decamped with the booty. Police reached at the temple with teams of dog squad and finger print experts. It may noted that, in this Jain temple situated in Jamuniyakala, the similar theft incident had occurred around one and half year ago, but police remained unable to catch the thieves.
KARNATAKA GOVERNMENT TO SET UP CENTRE FOR STUDIES IN PRAKRIT AND PALI
July 4, 2014, Karnataka: The panel constituted by the Karnataka State Government, under the Chairmanship of writer Baragur Ramachandrappa, to form a cultural policy has recommended setting up a centre for studies in Prakrit and Pali languages.
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The recommendation, in a way, has strengthened the long-pending demand to give the National Institute of Prakrit Studies and Research, set up by Jain Math of Shravanbelgola in 1993, university status. The demand has been presented before the State and Union Governments for the last 10 years. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, who inaugurated Mahamastakabhisheka celebrations in 2006, had expressed a similar opinion in his address.
Sri Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Swamiji of Jain Math established the national institute. Shankar Dayal Sharma, the then President, inaugurated the institute, which has over the years established a name for itself in the field of research in Prakrit. The institute has collected more than 5,000 palm leaf manuscripts, many of which are centuries old.
The Institute offers correspondence courses. At present, around 1,000 students are enrolled for courses such as Prakrit Prathama (1 year), Prakrit Madhyama (2 years), Prakrit Visharada (3 years) and Prakrit Ratna (2 years). A total of 5,000 students have studied in the institute since its inception. So far, nine students of the institute have obtained Doctoral degree from Mysore university, which has given recognition to the centre. The institute, which was first established under the aegis of Shrutakevali Eduation Trust (R), is situated on 50 acres of land contributed by the Jain Math. Later, the institute was brought under the newly constituted Bahubali Prakrit Vidyapeetha. Now, it gets an annual grant of around Rs. 30 lakh from the State Government.
JAIN CALENDAR FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST 2014
VIR SAMVAT 2540 JAIN CALENDAR VIKRAM SAMVAT 2070
Aatham | Chaudas | Pancham | Bij | Agiyaras | Jain Festival | Auspicious Day |
ASHADH - JULY 2014 - SHRAVAN | AVOID GREEN & ROOT VEGETABLES Date: 1 | 4 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 17 | 21 | 22 to 30 AVOID ROOT VEGETABLES Date: 2 | 10 | 16 JAIN FESTIVAL Date: 10 - Poonam (Bhav Siddhachal Yatra) Date: 10 - Raksha Bandhan Date: 22-29 - Paryushan Maha Parva Date: 25 - Kalpa Sutra Vanchan Date: 26 - Mahavirswami Janma Vanchan & Sapna Darshan Date: 29 - Kshamapana, Baras Sutra Vanchan, Samvantsari Pratikraman Date: 30 - Parna AUSPICIOUS DAY Date: 01 - Neminath Janma Kalyanaks Date: 02 - Neminath Diksha Kalyanaks Date: 04 - Parshavanath Nirvan Kalyanak Date: 10 - Munisuvrata Chavan Kalyanak Date: 16 - Shantinath Chavan Kalyanak (Vad Satam) Date: 16 - Chandraprabhu Nirvan Kalyanak (Vad Satam) Date: 17 - Suparshvanath Chavan Kalyanak | ||||||
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
| Shravan: 1 To 25 August Bhadarvo: 26 To 31 August | 1 Sud Pancham | 2 Sud Chhath | 3 Sud Satam | ||||
| 4 Sud Aatham | 5 Sud Nom | 6 Sud Dasam | 7 Sud Agiyaras | 8 Sud Baras | 9 Sud Chaudas | 10 Sud Poonam | |
| 11 Vad Ekam | 12 Vad Bij | 13 Vad Trij | 14 Vad Choth | 15 Vad Pancham | 16 Vad Chhath | 17 Vad Aatham | |
| 18 Vad Nom | 19 Vad Nom | 20 Vad Dasam | 21 Vad Agiyaras | 22 Vad Baras | 23 Vad Teras | 24 Vad Chaudas | |
| 25 Vad Amas | 26 Sud Ekam | 27 Sud Bij | 28 Sud Trij | 29 Sud Choth | 30 Sud Pancham | 31 Sud Chhath | |
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