Once a question was posed to me as to why dinner after sunset is prohibited amongst the Jains? Honestly, can there be a time specified even for hunger? It is practical to eat when hungry. This is the only valid rule. For hunger there can be no day or night. How does light or darkness matter?
At a seminar in Bangalore where many scientists took part, the subject came up that in the Jain tradition, dinner after sunset is prohibited...
Early next morning we left for the 8-days Preksha Meditation Camp. Kanchanji & I only took small bags filled with what we thought necessary. Premji Bothra & Shivani & Sanjeev Bothra accompanied us to “Kingwin Filmstudios” where all participants were supposed to meet for registration. Kanchanji & I were roommates, both of us felt happy. About 60 participants, one third of them women, gathered in the entry hall of “Kingwin Filmstudios” where we all would be accommodated in AC rooms...
Intellect represents the limits of our knowledge. Validity and invalidity are born of people's intellect..
Once a man walked up to the sea shore carrying a pitcher in his hand. The pitcher is there and the sea is there. Is the sea water accessible to the pitcher? It will not be right to say that it is not accessible. But it will be not completely true to say that it is accessible. In fact it is accessible as well as inaccessible. From the point of view of totality it is not accessible; from a partial or limited point of view it is accessible...
Terapanth Professionals Conference was scheduled for the weekend of 28th/29th June, which meant Saturday fulltime & Sunday morning. The great opening ceremony on Saturday morning in presence of H.H. Acharya Mahaprajna, Yuvacharya Mahashraman & Sadhvi Pramukha Kanak Prabha took place at the time of the morning lecture. The audience comprised professionals & Sadhaks, very often united in one person. Many of the professionals were used to listen to the morning lecture on weekends, but for the first time they came for it in their capacity of being medical doctor or worker, chartered accountant, social worker, educationalist. As such they were asked to view & reflect the structure of the religious community they were born into...
We, women and men, have gathered here from all over the world, to participate in the XXII World Philosophical Congress to find a way of establishing a peaceful co-existence through intercultural dialogue. The subject for discussion before us is "Rethinking Philosophy Today". Why? What has happened suddenly to the great traditions of philosophies of east and west which have guided the humanity for many centuries? The reason seems to be evident. It is believed that in the field of philosophy the year 2000 is the end of the 400years of the modern era. The 21st century is the start of a post-modern era in which the old coordinates of control need a new paradigm. To me, there seems to be two great challenges before us.
►Develop Contrary Feelings To Come Over The Negative Habits
Jaipur, August 11, 2008
Wishes and desires have the sky as its limit. As rising tides lifts all the boats, similarly rising wishes & desires fuels the anger, ego, materialism in a man which results in the violent activities. Hence these activities need to be kept in control so that they don’t drive man to wrong path. Meditation & Anupreksha (Contemplation) can be the best tool to control these evil’s horns.
These views are expressed by Yuvacharya Mahashraman in his daily discourse at Anuvibha.
"The Bloodless Revolution", written by Tristram Stuart is an amazing book tracing the History of the Vegetarian movement in Europe from 17th Century. My paper to be read at the World Vegetarian Congress in Dresden, Germany, on 31 July 2008, is based on the book.
JVBNA cordially invites you to participate in the Celebrations of Paryushan & Daslakshan Mahaparva 2008 (Aug. 28 – Sep. 14, 2008)Under the guidance of Samani Mudit Pragyaji & Samani Shukla Pragyaji, Disciples of Acharya Shree Mahapragyaji.
Featuring:
Daily Pratikraman, Pravachan for all and simultaneous session for children in English.
Text of speech delivered by Vn. Shankar Narayan, President of Indian Vegan Society and the Regional Coordinator for India, South & West Asia for the International Vegetarian Union (IVU), UK, on Friday, the First of August, 2008 at 04.45 pm on the occasion of 38th IVU World Vegetarian Congress (Centenary Congress) at the Festsaal, Kulturpalast, Dresden, Germany.
►Akhil Bhartiya Terapanth Yuvak Parishad Workshop on 'Jain Life Style'
Jaipur, August 04, 2008
“If person want to breathe in peaceful environment today, he needs to develop the adaptability towards the quality of satisfaction, needs to bind his desires. There are people who never allowed unhappiness to overrule them through out the life by adopting the satisfaction principle. It is perpetual truth that till there is absence of limitation to desires, absence of feeling of content, person can’t live happily and peacefully.” These views are expressed by Acharya Mahapragya while addressing the workshop organized by Akhil Bhartiya Terapanth Yuvak Parishad on 'Jain Life Style'.
The objective of modern economics is neither peace, nor non-violence. Its goal is economic prosperity. It aims at everyone becoming rich. In order to fulfil the objective of pervasive prosperity, it also expects that desires, needs and production are expanded, and as a consequence thereof, greed promoted.
The expanding greed presupposes expanded needs, which calls for expanding production. This, in turn, requires higher economic growth. Economic growth calls for competition. In this context, peace and non-violence are relegated to a secondary position.
Things to be Done in Paryushan Festival:
1 Daily three Samayik
2 1 Hour self study or spiritual study
3 2 Hour Silence
3 Restraint of underground & green vegetables & fruits
4 Half hour Jap
5 Restraint of dinner after sunset
6 Practice of celibacy
7 Restrain of eating more than 9 items (9 items limit can be observed either for complete day or while taking food as per convenience)
King Udaai was the ruler of the city of Sindhu Sauveer. Its capital was Veetbhay Nagar. Prabhavati, the daughter of Chetak was his queen. The queen belonged to the Sharaman tradition. After her demise, she was reborn as a goddness and preached Jainism to King Udaai. This led him to become a devoted Jain shravak.
King Udaai’s greatest wish was that Lord Mahavira should visit his city and if that desire was fulfilled, he resolved to spend his entire life in practicing monkhood. One day, his heartiest desire was fulfilled when Lord Mahavira visited his city. The king listened to his preaching’s with deep concentration and after a few days, he was ready to accept monkhood...
The two months program students of International Summer School for Jain Studies stayed in Vidhya Sansthan Jaipur. Dr. Shugan Chand Jain, director of ISSJS had proposed to meet there. It was after lunch when I arrived. Fortunately the students, organisers, and lecturers still were present in the big dining hall in the first floor what provided the occasion to me to meet all together...
►Round Table Conference On Jain Philosophy In Seoul (South Korea)
Jaipur, August 07, 2008
Seven day 20th World Conference of Philosophy was ended on August 5, 2008 at the National University, Seoul (South Korea). First time in the 108 years of history of this conference, a round table conference on Jain Philosophy was organized. The main theme of this conference is “review of the philosophy”.
After participating in conference, all reached at Jaipur and went to Acharya Mahapragya for darshan. Coordinator of Jain philosophy conference Samani Chaitaniya Pragya told that 7 intellectuals had represented the Jain Vishwa Bharati University, Ladnun, in the conference.
Two thousand five hundred years ago, Lord Mahavira went to Pristha Champa from Rajgriha. From there, he headed towards Champa. There King Shaal and Prince Mahashaal renounced their kingdoms and became monks. Both requested Lord Mahavira to let them go back to Pristha Champa, so that more people could be prepared for sainthood and accept the right faith. Lord Mahavira ordered them to go there with Gautama. While on the way, the purity of their thoughts reached its peak and both Shaal and Mahashaal becomes Kevalis. There, Gaangali, the king, and his parents also accepted monk hood and they soon achieved the state of Keval Gyaan. All of them went to Lord Mahavira; Gautama did ‘Vandana’ and even ordered the others to do so. Lord Mahavira addressed Gautama and said, “Gautama, don’t be impolite, towards Kevali.” Gautama apologized to them but his mind was replete with doubts, “Shall I not be emancipated?”...
Rediscovering Gandhian Wisdom: Building a Peaceful Future
The third international conference of the Ahimsa Center at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (in Los Angeles area) will focus on rediscovering the Gandhian wisdom grounded in Ahimsa and Truth to help us chart a more peaceful and more harmonious human future. This conference will bring together from all around the world leading Gandhian scholars and exemplars of Gandhian values. Collectively we will celebrate Gandhi’s gifts to humanity, and explore how we can apply his wisdom to find enduring solutions for the vexing political, social and personal problems we face...
►Karma And Religion Should Go Hand In Hand Together In Life – Yuvacharya Mahashraman
Jaipur, August 06, 2008
“While leading a household life, man should remain alert towards commitment of the sins and paap. Man should not get engaged or involve himself in any frauds, murder, or any activity having violent nature. These activities as per religion stimulate Karma bondage. Karma theory also says the same – what you sow that will reap.
There are twenty-four Tirthankar’s in the history of Jain tradition. Lord Rishabh was the first one. He performed hard penance and finally, achieved the Keval Gayaan. After attaining Keval Gayaan, he decided to visit different places and spread the message of peace and truth.
Once, when he was delivering his sermon in Bharat’s kingdom, thousands of people gathered there to listen to him. Among them was Lord Rishabh’s eldest son, Bharat. While delivering the sermon, Lord Rishabh declared that:...
JVB Houston is pleased to announce the continuation of the Gyanshala program this fall. Guided by Samniji, our Gyanshala exceeded our expectations and was received very well by the attending students. All the classes were taught by enthusiastic parent teachers.
When we arrived it was time for monks & nuns to go for Gochari. Originally Gochari means grazing. Like cows are taking grass from here and there, never emptying a whole area the saints take food from different families. This process of going empty handed and coming back loaded with eatables naturally takes its time and also requires considerable physical strength. Usually two members of every group of 5 are collecting the food for the whole group ...
In the city of Rajgriha, lived a poor man named Arjunmaali and his wife, Bandhumati. He used to worship a demi-god regularly, whose temple was situated outside the village.
One day, when he was busy worshipping the demi-god, six miscreants entered the temple. They tied Arjun to a pillar and tortured his wife in front of him.
Being pound to the pillar, Arjun could not help his wife. He prayed to his demi-god to help her, but in vain. He became furious due to humiliation and hatred. He wondered why the demi-god did not protect them. Further, he thought that there was no use of worshipping the idol, which was incapable to help his devotees. He made up his mind to destroy the temple and take revenge of the assault....
Saurabh Dalal opened the meeting at 4.15 pm by asking if there were any objections to him chairing the session. There were no objections. Saurabh urged those assembled to congratulate themselves and IVU generally for our 100 years of promoting vegetarianism.
Saurabh introduced the IC members and the agenda, before reviewing the five objectives of IVU.
Saurabh reviewed the minutes of the previous IVU General Meeting during the 2006 IVU World Vegetarian Congress in Goa. There were no questions about the minutes. Stephen Walsh moved that the minutes be approved. Jennie McQueen seconded. The motion was approved with none opposed and one abstention.
John Davis presented the IVU Biennial Report.
About two thousand five hundred years ago, Lord Mahavira was in the city of Koshambi. At that time, King Shatanik was ruling over the city and Mrigavati was his queen.
Once, when Lord Mahavira was engaged in penance, he took some vows as conditions for his paarana. The vows were as follows:
►He would accept alms only from that maid who had been a prince earlier, whose hands and legs would be shackled in chains, the hair on her head shaven off, her eyes full of tears and she should have been fasting for three days.
►While giving alms, she should have one foot outside the threshold and one within.
►The edible item should be in the form of pulses, kept in a sifter.
Long, long ago, there lived a mighty emperor named Manirath in the town of Sudharshana, which was situated in Avanti. He had a younger brother, Prince Yugabahu, who was married to a very beautiful lady, called Madanrekha. One day, when Manirath was strolling in the corridors, he chanced to look out into the garden. He saw Madanrekha accompanied by her friends watering the plants. The sight of her beautiful body took him aback. The lust to possess her at any cost arose in him. He became so overwhelmed by his desire for her that his reasoning power failed to make him aware of the fact that she was his younger brother’s wife...
"Perceive the soul through the soul!" The practice of meditation started with the recitation of this maxim and it was concluded in course of time. A sadhak asked : "Is the maxim of perceiving the soul through the soul a practical one? Is it possible?"
The sadhak said - "My knowledge is subservient to the senses. Whatever I know, I know through the five sense organs and the mind. If I renounce them, wherefrom shall I obtain the data on which knowledge is based? Wherefrom shall I receive the raw material? The sense organs constitute the only means of our contact with the world. There are five sense organs with their five subjects, called the intrinsic modes. There are five qualities - sound, form, smell, taste and touch. To apprehend these, there are five senses—the sense of hearing, the sense of seeing, the sense of smell, the sense of taste and the sense of touch. Each sense apprehends its particular quality. Under these circumstances, how is it possible to perceive the soul through the soul?"
Once, in the city of Rajgriha, there lived a rich man, Dhan. He had a slave named Panthak who used to take care of Dhan’s son, Devadatta. One day, Dhan’s wife Bhadra, bathed Devadatta and after adorning him with precious ornaments gave him to Panthak....
Once there was a ruler named, King Bala in the city of Veetashoka. He got a golden opportunity to listen to the sermon of the monks. He was so deeply influenced by the sermons that he started performing penance and eventually attained emancipation...
C. Dharma or Principle of motion & Adharma or principle of rest
Here the terms dharma and adharma do not mean the contemporary meaning of religion and non religion. Jain philosophy says that like living beings and non-living beings, there are two more entities known as dharma or principle of motion and adharma or principle of rest. Both are real and existent and hence have all the attributes associated with dravya. Because they are non-concrete, they cannot be cognized directly by sense organs. Even the scientists have proved the existence of these entities.
Hardly off the car, I already met a friend! Salil Lodha familiar to us since long time & regular sender of 2008 Jaipur Chaturmas News in Hindi kindly welcomed me at Anuvibha Bhawan, “Welcome at Anuvibha Bhawan, Karunaji!” What a welcome at a location one never before had set a foot!...
Padmaratha was a well-known and powerful king. Under his administration, every person in Mithila was happy and satisfied with his lot. He was not only ready to listen to the grievances and problems of his subjects but also made sincere efforts to give them suitable solutions. The aim of his life was ‘simple living and high thinking’. When Nami, Padmaratha’s baptized son grew up, he was crowned with all the responsibilities of the Kingdom. Thereafter, Padmaratha left his kingdom forever and went in search of the real happiness of the mind and soul. It was during this process that he became a monk...
Looking at the colorful and different forms of existences in the universe, it is natural to be inquisitive about the form and nature of reality i.e. their ultimate source of origin. Is it one entity with its manifold modifications or manifestations or the reality itself is manifold. Therefore all philosophers and philosophies start their enquiry about self and the universe around, with first understanding the reality (sat) and its nature. They soon came up with two related alternatives namely:
Theproblem of change - Is changing real?
Theproblem of one and many - Is reality one or many?
The foremost is conduct; worship and rituals are secondary. Unfortunately, the harsh reality is that nowadays a prayer, worship and rituals have become primary and human conduct, behavior and character have been rendered secondary or ignored. Deliverance cannot be achieved by repeating any word in particular; it is achieved by directly experiencing the ultimate truth. Also there is no predetermined path. That is the reason that religious sermons appear ineffective, dull and impotent. Religion is not able to influence and transform the individual and society...
The drop and the ocean have been related since ancient times. Likewise, the body and the universe have been deemed to be related in Philosophy.
In simple language, we can use the terms man and the world. The latter is a totality comprising not only man but also other beings and material objects. Every man is related to the world. In order to understand a single individual the whole world will have to be understood, and vice versa. They are so internally related and interactive that one cannot be interpreted without the other...
►Vishwa Jain Sangathan Will Participate In Delhi Book Fair - 2008 To Propagate Jainism
VJS will participate in Delhi Book Fair' 2008 (from 30th Aug to 7th Sep' 2008) at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. The timings of the fair will be from 10 am to 8 pm. The objective of participation is to promote the Jain literature. researchers, professors, doctors, historians, scholors, students, publishers, writers etc., coming from from India and other countries, who visit this fair in the search of new books, research materials and more information. Hall #12A, Stall #3
We, women and men, have gathered here from all over the world, to participate in the XXII World Philosophical Congress to find a way of establishing a peaceful co-existence through intercultural dialogue. The subject for discussion before us is "Rethinking Philosophy Today". Why? What has happened suddenly to the great traditions of philosophies of east and west which have guided the humanity for many centuries? The reason seems to be evident. It is believed that in the field of philosophy the year 2000 is the end of the 400years of the modern era. The 21st century is the start of a post-modern era in which the old coordinates of control need a new paradigm. To me, there seems to be two great challenges before us.
►Develop Contrary Feelings To Come Over The Negative Habits
"The Bloodless Revolution", written by Tristram Stuart is an amazing book tracing the History of the Vegetarian movement in Europe from 17th Century. My paper to be read at the World Vegetarian Congress in Dresden, Germany, on 31 July 2008, is based on the book.
JVBNA cordially invites you to participate in the Celebrations of Paryushan & Daslakshan Mahaparva 2008 (Aug. 28 – Sep. 14, 2008)Under the guidance of Samani Mudit Pragyaji & Samani Shukla Pragyaji, Disciples of Acharya Shree Mahapragyaji.
Text of speech delivered by Vn. Shankar Narayan, President of Indian Vegan Society and the Regional Coordinator for India, South & West Asia for the International Vegetarian Union (IVU), UK, on Friday, the First of August, 2008 at 04.45 pm on the occasion of 38th IVU World Vegetarian Congress (Centenary Congress) at the Festsaal, Kulturpalast, Dresden, Germany.
►Akhil Bhartiya Terapanth Yuvak Parishad Workshop on 'Jain Life Style'
►Round Table Conference On Jain Philosophy In Seoul (South Korea)
►Karma And Religion Should Go Hand In Hand Together In Life – Yuvacharya Mahashraman
JVB Houston is pleased to announce the continuation of the Gyanshala program this fall. Guided by Samniji, our Gyanshala exceeded our expectations and was received very well by the attending students. All the classes were taught by enthusiastic parent teachers.
Saurabh Dalal opened the meeting at 4.15 pm by asking if there were any objections to him chairing the session. There were no objections. Saurabh urged those assembled to congratulate themselves and IVU generally for our 100 years of promoting vegetarianism. 
►Vishwa Jain Sangathan Will Participate In Delhi Book Fair - 2008 To Propagate Jainism