01.07.2016 ►JAINA ►Newsletter

Message from President

Jai Jinendra!

Warm Welcome to 700+ Youths to Los Angeles for YJA Convention from July 1-4, 2016. Theme of YJA Convention is Young Jains: Agents of Change. Our next JAINA Convention will be held in New Jersey from June 30 to July 4, 2017. Please mark your calendar for our first 5-days JAINA Convention!

provides a wonderful mobile audio-visual tour guide during your Yatra of Jain Tirths in India. Link is provided at on home page for your convenience and future use as well. MOU was signed to establish a Professorship of Jain Studies in Dallas.

Thanks,
Ashok Domadia
JAINA President
Chairman - JAINA BOD

Quote of the Month

The unenlightened takes millions of lives to extirpate the effects of karma whereas a man possessing spiritual knowledge and discipline obliterates them in a single moment.

- Bhagwan Mahavir

ActionShow App: Audio-Visual Tour Guide for Tirth Yatra

Now you can have 24 x 7 complete tour guide on your smart phone when you visit any Tirth in India or even carry out virtual Bhav Yatra at home. is a beautiful tour guide app that leads visitors on an audio-visual journey throughout their Yatra. It guides you through the climb to the summit, with stories about the tirthankars, rich history, and gorgeous architeciture of the temples on the hill. This application works on both iPhone and Android smart phones.

Jain Center Spotlight: Jain Society of Toronto

Seniors play an important role in our families, communities and workplaces. In recognition of this contribution, Jain Society of Toronto ensures an enjoyable quality of life for seniors. The monthly Senior Session at Jain center help them learn, laugh, relax and have a good time.

Last Senior Session was held on June 18, 2016, where they recited Namokar Mantra and devotional songs, exchanged their views on the topic, “In all Faiths and Cultures of the World, the concepts of Charities, Donations and Giving Back to Society have existed.” A well-known artist, Prof. Jayndrabhai Nayak from India had sung devotional songs and sugam sangeet, few brain teasers, chit-chat, chuckles and gentle yoga were performed. The session ended with Aarti-Mangal Divo, followed by a light lunch.
Jain Society of Toronto had also held Sutra-Pathshala and Snatra Pooja on June 19, 2016.

Jain Story: Shri Anathi Muni

Magadh King Shrenik Bimbisar set out for a forest-outing by riding a horse. As he entered Mandikuli garden, he saw a saintly person in meditation under a tree. He was surprised at the sight of such a pleasant face with glowing forehead and was impressed by the monk. The king wondered as to what heart-rending and shocking experiences of worldly life might have led him to forsake joys and pleasures of youthful life and resort to a saintly way of life dedicated to penance.

Jain Education and Research Foundation signs MOU with University of North Texas to establish a Professorship of Jain Studies

On June 26, Jain Education and Research Foundation (JERF) and University of North Texas (UNT) signed a MOU to establish a Professorship in Jain studies at UNT in Dallas, TX. This is the second major initiative after successful establishment of the Bhagwan Mahavir Professorship of Jain studies at Florida International University, Miami in 2010. UNT is one of the largest Tier-1 US universities with student body of almost 40,000 from a diverse religious background. The signing ceremony took place at the Jain Society of North Texas (JSNT), attended by over 100 Dallas Jain community members, JERF Board of Directors, JAINA Board Members and UNT officials. The event concluded with a Jain lunch served by the JSNT community.

YJA Convention 2016

YJA had pre-convention dinners across the country, last week. Now, with a day left for YJA convention, they would like to build some hype. YJA has created a feed where everyone will be able to see what attendees are talking about all around the hotel. Those who would like to join in on the fun can do so by using #yja16 and #yjalove while posting on social media!

YJP: A Session on The Intersection of Career & Spirituality- How to Excel at Both

YJP successfully hosted a world renowned Jain spiritual leader, Shri Fulchand Shastri Ji on June 21 in midtown Manhattan. Over 89 Young Jains had attended the event from around the tristate area. The topic was "The Intersection of Career & Spirituality- How to Excel at Both." Shastri Ji encouraged youth to consider each and every person as a soul first, and a human second. Shastri Ji also had a book signing where he gave away 45 English translated books of the Atma Siddhi.
After the session, a professional mingle followed with foods and refreshments.
Please contact Avani Shah at or Neal Daftary at for sponsorship opportunities.

The Lamp of Devotion from Veerayatan

During the time of Buddha, there lived an old beggar woman named “Relying on Joy”. She used to observe the kings, princes, and people making offerings to Buddha and his disciples, and there was nothing she would have liked more than to be able to do the same. To bring her wish to fruition, she decided to go out begging one day but sadly she just collected one small coin. Now she wondered, “What should I do with this coin? What sort of an offering should I make to Buddha?” She took the coin to the oil-merchant to buy some oil but to no avail. However on hearing of her wish, he was inspired and gave some oil to her out of goodwill. She went to the monastery, where…