04.11.2017 ►JAINA ►Newsletter

Jai Jinendra!

Kartiki Purnima or Dev Diwali as popularly known will be celebrated at various Centers of JAINA. This day is also celebrated as birthday of Shrimad Rajchandra and this year being 150th year, lot of celebrations are being held by various Centers worldwide.

Kartiki Purnima also marks end of Chaturmas and our Sadhus and Sadhvijis will also start their Vihar. Many of us will also start 99 yatra at Palitana on this auspicious day. JAINA appreciates all of them who would be starting their 99 yatra and wish them sukh sata.

On October 11, the Institute of Jainology (IoJ) held its 16th Annual Ahimsa Day hosted by the Jain All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) at the House of Commons (HoC) in England.

Jaina Education Committee and Jain Study Center of North Carolina have jointly organized the 2nd Jain workshop from Friday December 8, 2017 to Sunday December 10, 2017.

YJP hosted its first National Retreat Oct. 27- 29, 2017 in San Jose, CA. Read more about successful event. Sign up for YJP newsletter at bit.ly/signup. Apply to be on the 2018 Young Jain Professionals (YJP) Executive Board today! .

“Jain Time Cycle”, prepared by YJA Pathshal, is very interesting Video for Adults and young. Show it to your children.

Warm Regards,
Gunvant Shah
JAINA President
11-03-2017

The soul is the Brahman. Brahmacharya is therefore nothing but spiritual conduct of the ascetic concerning the soul, who has snapped out of relationship with alien body.

- Bhagwan Mahavir

On October 11, the Institute of Jainology (IoJ) held its 16th Annual Ahimsa Day hosted by the Jain All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) at the House of Commons (HoC).

The Jain APPG was organized as part of the IoJ led ‘One Jain’, representing the 30 Jain community organizations. The meeting celebrated Ahimsa Day.

The program commenced with prayers. The IoJ Chair, Mr. Nemu Chandaria, welcomed everyone and spoke about how the recent discovery of the Bakshali manuscript in the Science Museum, is rewriting history and placing Jains at the center of discovering the number zero in 3CE.

The Chief Guest, Prof Kanti Mardia, spoke about Jainism and Science, while Mr. Dilip Shah of the Institute gave the vote of thanks.

Ahimsa Award 2017 was presented to Sardar Ravinder Singh of Khalsa Aid.

Kartik Purnima is an important religious day for Jains and is celebrated by visiting Palitana, a Jain pilgrimage centre. After the four months of rainy season (Chaturmas), the pilgrimage of Shatrunjaya reopens. It is said that the meaning of the Shatrunjaya is winning over enemies. The pilgrimage of Shatrunjaya is performed to win over the Karma-enemy. So it is said that - Each step on the place Shatrunjaya can Destroy Karmas of previous births. The first day attracts the maximum number of devotees. Jains believe that Adinath, the first Tirthankara, sanctified the hills by visiting it to deliver his first sermon. According to Jain texts, millions of sadhus and sadhvis have attained salvation on these hills.

The person, who puts one step towards Shatrunjaya with pure heart, can be free from all the sins of the present and previous life. The sinful souls had become pious by worshipping it properly. The Satans become Saints. The murderers become Monks. Even those who had got Omniscience knowledge can’t describe the importance of Shatrunjaya. The pilgrims who do the pilgrimage of Shatrunjaya with true feelings, can get salvation in the 3rd or 5th Bhava (birth). Dravid and Varikhilla had got salvation with 10 crores Sadhus-Monks. So many other souls also got the salvation from the difficulties of Sansar. This is the birth day of Hemchandracharya also.

The Rituals of Kartaki Purnima

Kartak Sud Poonam is on 4th November 2017

• The Kayotsarga of 21 Logassa
• 21 Khamasanas
• 21 Swastiks and
• Navakarvalis with the Jap Pad of

‘Shri Shatrunjaya Tirthadhirajaya Namh’

Shrimad Rajchandra was born on 9th November 1867 (Kartik Sud Purnima,Vikram Samvat 1924), in Vavania, a port near Morbi (now in Gujarat, India). His mother, Devbai, was Svetambara Jain and his father, Ravjibhai Mehta, was Vaishnava Hindu. He was initiated in Vaishnavism by a Sadhu named Ramadasji.

His birth name was Laxminandan. He was renamed Raichand by his parents when he was four years old. Later his name changed to Sanskrit form, Rajchandra. Shrimad, an honorific was added by his disciples after his death.

He was a Jain poet, philosopher, scholar and reformer. He was prodigy and claimed to have recollection of his past lives at the age of seven. He performed Avdhan, memory retention and recollection test, which gained him popularity but he later discouraged it in favor of his spiritual pursuits. He wrote large number of philosophical poetry including Atma Siddhi. He also wrote large number of letters and commentaries and translated some religious texts. He is best known for his teachings on Jainism and as a spiritual guide of Mahatma Gandhi.

Rajchandra was inspired by works of Kundakunda and Digambara mystical tradition and in turn inspired several spiritual teachers and followers including people from all schools of Jainism. His followers sometimes consider his teaching as a new path of Jainism, neither Svetambara nor Digambara, and revere him as a saint. His path is sometimes referred as Raj Bhakta Marg, Kavipanth or Shrimadia which has mostly lay followers as was Rajchandra himself. His teachings influenced Kanji Swami, Dada Bhagwan, Rakesh Jhaveri, Saubhagbhai, Lalluji Maharaj (Laghuraj Swami), Atmanandji and several other religious figures. Some of them established temples and institutions in his dedication and to spread his teachings. Such temples often house his pictures and images based on photographs taken in a studio in various meditation postures, Shrimad Rajchandra Vihar, the Jain temple complex dedicated to him was erected on the eastern hillock ofIdar hill in Gujarat where he had spent significant time.

Rajchandra’s teachings have been popular in the Jain diaspora communities; mostly in East Africa, the United Kingdom and North America.

A special cover featuring him and Rabindranath Tagore was published by India Post on occasion of Gandhi Jayanti in 2002.

The Government of India released 10 coins, 150 souvenir coins and the stamps at the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad on 29 June 2017 as the commemoration of Shrimad Rajchandra's 150th birth anniversary.

U.C. Riverside’s College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences and the Department of Religious Studies announced the establishment the Shrimad Rajchandra Endowed Chair in Jain Studies on 17 February 2017.

Jaina Education Committee and Jain Study Center of North Carolina have jointly organized the 2nd Jain workshop from Friday December 8, 2017 to Sunday December 10, 2017

We had a great success on our 1st Workshop in October 2017 with more than 10 members that had to be wait listed due to limited availability.

Workshop Theme
STRIKING A BALANCE: - EXAMINING Social, Cultural, and Spiritual environment that our youth face while growing up in North America.

The temple next to Vimalnath’s temple is dedicated to Sumtinath, the fifth tirthankar. The temple has three spires. This is also NOT a “must see” temple.

We have mentioned the two sects of Jains - the Digambar and the Shvetambar. On this summit we find predominantly Shvetambar temples.

Temples of the Digambar sect have the idols of Tirthankars in their natural unadorned form with their eyes semi-closed in meditation. These idols represent the Tirthankar as free from attachment and avarice.

Click to read the story & listen to an amazing audio clip in or .

The third temple is Motishah Toonk. A short flight of stairs brings you to this temple complex. The temples are beautiful and the view of the temple complex as you reach the top of the stairs is absolutely amazing. I strongly recommend you to spend at least 5-10 minutes here.

It is hard to imagine that this area was once a deep and dangerous canyon between two mountain peaks. In the early 18th century, a wealthy businessman named Sheth Moti Shah vowed that if his merchant ships returned safety, he would build a temple on Shatrunjay.

But this hill top was already filled with temples. The only space that could be allotted was this deep canyon. Motishah decided that he would fill the canyon with Jute ropes. In those days the ropes cost about Rs. 80,000. This temple complex resembles a heavenly palace called “NalinigulmDevViman” and took 7 years, 1100 sculptors, and 3000 laborers to complete.

Unfortunately, Motishah did not live long enough to see his dream fulfilled. His son and wife completed the project.

Click to read the story & listen to an amazing audio clip in or .

Jain Center of Greater Boston had great Diwali celebrations. They started celebration with Namokar Mantra by Mummies and kids followed by amazing performances by Pathshala kids during the. Kudos to all the teachers who have worked so hard along with the kids. JCGB appreciates to all the volunteers who are always ready and willing to do selfless services.

• 1 1/2 cup Wheat flour
• 1 tsp Salt
• Water
• Wheat flour for dusting

• 1 cup cabbage; grated or finely chopped
• 3 green chilies; finely chopped
• Handful coriander leaves; finely chopped
• 7-8 teaspoon coriander seeds; coarsely pound
• 10-12 black peppercorns; coarsely pound
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon raw mango powder
• to taste Salt

1. To prepare Dough: In a bowl take wheat flour and salt. Knead soft dough. It should not be too tight or too loose. Allow it to rest covered for at least 30 mins.

1. Grate the cabbage or put it into food processor. Add chilies, coriander leaves, green chilies, pounded coriander seeds and peppercorns, turmeric, red chili and raw mango powder and add salt. Mix it well.

1. Make equal sized balls out of the dough.
2. Take one ball and roll it to thick small circle. Keep 1-2 tbsp. of stuffing in the center and seal it up nicely by pulling all the edges to the center. Repeat the same with all the dough and stuffing.
3. With the help of dry flour, roll the parathas into thick or thin disc as per your preference.
4. Cook them on both sides by drizzling oil/ghee till golden spots
5. Soft, delicious, hot cabbage parathas are ready to serve. Enjoy them with pickle and raita.

It's that time of year again! Your fellow Regional Coordinators and Local Representatives are hosting National Dinners & Lunches across the country. Check YJA your regional Facebook page and and join them at a city near you for great food, friends, and conversation.

YJA is excited to announce its latest issue of Young Minds at yja.org/youngminds! Dive into October's issue and hear from 16 writers about how we are a community of young minds trying to find our sense of place in the Jain community and the world.

Also featured in this issue is an introduction to the 2017-2018 Executive Board, letters on the goals and hopes of a few of your new Directors and Regional Coordinators, delicious recipes, insightful artwork, and thought-provoking articles written by members of the Jain community.

What articles did you love and what topics would you like to see discussed?
Want to contribute to a future issue of Young Minds?
Please email [email protected] to share your thoughts. If hurt you in any way with our words, Micchami Dukkadam. Happy reading!