From Acharya Tulsi
Indriya sukh yahan anta mein
deta sada atripti
Indhan se kya agni ko
hui kabhi bhi tripti?
Sensual pleasures always lead a person to discontentment in the end.
Does the fuel ever get contended with fire?
Regular Sessions
Preksha Meditation
Tuesdays - 7:30PM - 8:30PM - JVB Iselin Center
Swadhyay
Thursdays - 7:30PM - 8:30PM - JVB Iselin Center
Youth Forum
3rd Friday of every month - 7PM - 9PM - JVB Iselin center
Upcoming - Annual Day - June- 5 @ JVBNA CPAM
Samayik
Saturdays - 7PM - 8PM - JVB Iselin Center
Prayer, Meditation & Swadhyay
Sundays - 10AM - 11:30AM - JVB Iselin Center
Gyanshala
Two Sundays every month - 3:30PM - 6PM - Franklin Temple ClassroomsUpcoming - Annual Day - June- 5 @ JVBNA CPAM
Pakshik Pratikraman
Every Pakkhi - 7:30 PM - JVB Iselin Center - Upcoming - June 5, 20, July 4, 19
Online Classroom
Weekly - 2nd quarter in progress - Ajeev 101 - began April 1, 2016
From the Perception of Breathing to Perception of Soul
An important sutra or aphorism of Preksha dhyan is: Sampikkhaye Appaga Mappayenam: See your Soul through your Soul. The first step of meditation is perceiving the breath.
The question then is, is the soul the breath? Yes indeed, the breath is the soul, the mind and speech are also soul, and the subtle body and the karmic body are also the soul. The reason for this is that they are all attached to the soul. The light rays of the soul reach the breath, the body and the subtle body, the mind and speech.
The breath is operated with vital energy. Through vital energy, it becomes the sentient. The one who is not able to grasp the sentience of the breath, how will he reach the soul? The one who is not alert to his own breath, how will he be alert to his soul? The breath is a part of sentience. The one who awakens to it will progress ahead till he reaches the soul. The one who does not awaken to his breath does not gain the right to go inwards.
The question is how can we reach that stage when we cannot hear the outside world and only hear from within us? This is possible through regulated breathing. As we progress in this exercise we can reach the soul.
Excerpts from "ANEKANTA THE THIRD EYE" by Acharya Mahaprajna
JVBNA Upcoming Programs
- JVBNA Online Classroom - 2nd Quarter - Ajeev 101 - Ongoing - Started April 1 - Registration is open
- Gyanshala & Youth Forum Annual Day - Sunday, Jun 5 - JVBNA CPAM
- Family Camp - Jun 10, 11 and 12 - Arsh Vidya, Poconos, PA
- A Presentation on "Lifestyle and Diet for preventing and reversing Heart Disease and controlling Diabetes, High BP, and Obesity" with Dr. Bimal Chhajer, renowned cardiologist from India - Saturday, July 16 - JVBNA CPAM
- A Presentation on "Anekantvad, Nayavad, and Syadvad and their implications for inter-religious relations" with Dr. Jeffery Long, Professor of Religion & Asian Studies at Elizabethtown College, PA - Sunday, August 21 - JVBNA CPAM
Path of Ahimsa
Mahavir Jayanti, Akshay Tritya and Tribute to Gurus
JVBNA celebrated Path of Ahimsa - Mahavir Jayanti, Akshay Tritiya and Tribute to Gurus - on May 7, 2016 at the JVBNA Center for Peace and Meditation under the auspicious guidance of Samani Sanmati Pragyaji and Samani Jayant Pragyaji. The program was beautifully steered by Master of Ceremony Shreen Bhansali and consisted of a melodious Manglacharan by Shilpa Bhansali, mesmerizing spiritual kawwali by the JVBNA choir comprising Kamal Daga, Sumitra Kankariya, Sushma Sodhia, Sonia Jain, Shilpa Bhansali, Nitu Mohnot, Nitin Chordiya, Rajeev Mohnot, Rajiv Jain and Arnav Sacheti, and a beautiful bhajan by Aanya Baid, Chairman Pratap Jain highlighted the uplifting importance of gurus in our lives. President Madhumita Sacheti, along with members of her team presented information about the activities at JVBNA. Director Surendra Kankariya and Director Rohit Jain presented the financial status of the new center project and thanked donors. Namrata Shah and Dinesh Doshi shared their personal inspiration and encouraged others to come forward to support the cause.
The highlight of the program was the family skit competition that showcased how families find creative ways to resolve problems using the tenets of Jainism. The families of Sheetal & Shweta Daftary, Rohit & Deepa Jain, Ashish & Ankita Jain, and Anish & Prachi Shah participated in the contest. The first prize was awarded to Rohit & Deepa Jain's family by the judges comprising of Samanijis, Sunil Mehta, and Deepesh Singhvi.
The third annual Gyanshala and Youth Forum Magazine, a collection of articles, poems, and drawings by Gyanshala and Youth Forum children that was edited by Supriya and Reena Bothra was presented by Youth forum teens Arnav Sacheti, Palak Shah & Tanvi Shah and released by Samanijis.
Samani Jayant Pragyaji spoke about four kinds of Man and the benefits of having a guru to help us stay on the right path and to have faith. Samani Sanmati Pragyaji spoke about the attributes of a positive personality and inspired all to hone such qualities in themselves. Samanijis sang a beautiful rendition of guru bhakti: Annthakaran ko jagaye guru ke dhyan se. The program ended with the auspicious Mangal Path. The sadharmik vatsalya was sponsored by Sampath and Dolores Jain on the occasion of Mahavir Jayanti.
Youth Forum
By Aditya Kataria
To start things off, we did some religious prayers including the usual (Bhav Bhini, Navkarmantra, and also a new one called Laksha Geet). Although at first, me and my other fellow members did not understand completely what this prayer’s words symbolized, Paras’s mother, Mrs. Nahar, helped and explained to us what each line/phrase stood for.
After that, we each shared times when we had done something a true Jain did. This did not have to include upvaas or samayik but good deeds that would be based on Jainism including non-violence, no theft, and kindness. Some examples told by us include halting a theft from occurring on a subway, stopping a neighbor’s runny hose, going on the sidewalk instead of the grass to save the lives of tiny ants/insects, and helping a kid with video games (:D)!
Then, Samaniji arrived after their evening pratikraman. They helped us see inner peace. We sat there with good posture (backs straight), eyes closed (and looking at the nose), and heavy breathing for some time. Unbelievably, doing this exercise purified the mind and kind of refreshed what was going on around us like 5 seconds ago! If you were angry a few moments ago, you couldn't even feel the anger after doing this! That’s how helpful it is!
New topics are what we wanted. And new topics is probably what we will get! All of us kids wanted to turn over a new leaf and have a session on something more. Especially, the 24 tirthankars. “How did each tirthankar become a tirthankar? What were their lives before reaching Moksh?” The tirthankars are like the most important people in Jain religion so why not study on them?
All in all, after all this, we summed up class with some Preksha Dhyan. Meditating the body with deep breaths and still stance soothes the body's reflexes to react and move the limbs around. A little calmness will help the body for it works non-stop.
FAMILY GET TOGETHER
More than 30 JVB members attended the program on Saturday, May 21, under the auspicious presence of Samani Sanmati Pragyaji and Samani Jayant Pragyaji. Kamal Daga led the Bhajan program along with the members. The program was followed by dinner which was coordinated by Rohit Jain's and Sudhir Jain's family.
JVB members did Pakkhi Pratikraman with Samayik. Samanijis requested several members to share their views and suggestions on the program and how to improve it for the future. The program ended with Mangal Path recited by Samanji Sanmati Pragyaji and Samanji Jayant Pragyaji and members of JVB.
Iryä Vahiyae Sutra - इरियावहिया सूत्र
इरियावहिया सूत्र:
इच्छा-कारेण संदिसह भगवन्! इरियावहियं पडिक्कमामि?
इच्छं, इच्छामि पडिक्कमिउं……………………………………………..1.
इरियावहियाए, विराहणाए………………………………………………..2.
गमणागमणे………………………………………………………………..3.
पाण-क्कमणे, बीय-क्कमणे, हरिय-क्कमणे,
ओसा-उत्तिंग-पणग-दग-मट्टी-मक्कडा-संताणा-संकमणे…………..4.
जे मे जीवा विराहिया……………………………………………………...5.
एगिंदिया, बेइंदिया, तेइंदिया, चउरिंदिया, पंचिंदिया………………..6.
अभिहया, वत्तिया, लेसिया, संघाइया, संघट्टिया,
परियाविया, किलामिया, उद्दविया,
ठाणाओ ठाणं संकामिया, जीवियाओ ववरोविया,
तस्स मिच्छा मि दुक्कडं………………………………………………….7.
Iriyävahi Sutra
Ichchhä-kärena Sandisaha Bhagavan,
Iryä Vahiyanm Paddikka-mämi?
Ichchham Ichchämi Padikkamiu. 1
Iriyä vahiyäe, Virähanäe, 2
Gamanä-gamane,3
Pänakka-mane, Biakka-mane,
Hariyakka-mane, Osä-Uttinga,
Panaga-daga, Matti Makkadä,
Santäna, Sankamane. 4
Je me jivä virähiyä,5
Egindiyä, Beindiyä, Teindiyä,
Chaurindiyä, Panchindiyä, 6
Abihayä, Vattiyä, Lesiyä,
Sanghäiyä, Sanghattiyä, Pariyaviyä,
Kilämiyä, Uddaviyä, Thänäo-Thänam,
Sankämiyä, Jiviyäo-vavaroviyä,
TASSA MICHCHHÄ MI DUKKADAM.7
Meaning:
I desire to free myself from all my sins.
While walking I may have given pain to or crushed living beings such as:
Live animate seeds
Live plants
Living beings in the dew
Living ant hills
Living moss
Living beings in the water
Living beings in the earth
Living webs of spiders
I may have harassed or may have crushed all of these.
Whatever living beings may have had pain caused by me:
Living beings with only one sense, the sense of touch, as in the elements of earth, water, fire, air, and in plants;
Living beings with only two senses, the sense of touch and taste, as in worms and shell creatures;
Living beings with three senses, the sense of touch, taste, and smell, as in ants;
Living beings with four senses, the sense of touch, taste, smell, and sight, as in bees, wasps, and other flying insects;
Living beings with all five senses, the sense of touch, taste, smell, sight and hearing, as in beings of the water (fish), beings of the land (mammals, animals and human), and beings of the sky (birds).
Whoever may have been struck by me while traveling;
Whoever I may have covered by dust;
Whoever I may have been rubbed up against;
Whoever I may have been forced to collide with;
Whoever I may have inflicted pain upon;
Whoever I may have frightened;
Whoever I may have had pain caused by my touching or tilting them;
Whoever may have been tormented by being turned entirely upside down;
Whoever I may have shifted from one place to another;
Whoever I may have separated from life and made lifeless.
May all that be forgiven and may all the suffering I caused, knowingly or unknowingly, come to an end. May the ignorance in me that caused pain in other living beings come to an end, and may they all forgive me.