Jain Workshop at Houston TX

Workshop Theme

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

Dates – August 16, 2013 to August 18, 2013

Time – August 16 Friday 7 PM to 9 PM and August 17 and 18 - 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM

Location – Jain Society of Houston (Big Trailer)

Participants
The workshop will be most beneficial to Pathashala teachers, potential teachers and any adults who are open minded to understand the principles of Jainism and their applications in American culture environment.  The Workshop is open to all.

Workshop Moderator
Pravin K Shah, Chairperson Jaina Education Committee and Jain eLibrary in-charge.

Workshop Coordinators –
Chini Mehta at emailchini@gmail.com (832)584-4327 or Smita Bora at smitabora@hotmail.com
Registration required but no fee:(Limited space available).

Overview of Jain Workshop

After the first few sessions on Jain axioms and fundamental principles, the workshop delves into the brain storming and discussion on powerful and thought provoking questions that have no absolute answers.  It includes the social and cultural perceptions as well as stereotypes and generalizations from both youth and adult’s perspective.

The discussion will provide insights into questions that are important to our youth in order to develop them spiritually, ethically, and socially in the western world.

While often difficult to reconcile divergent influences, it is critical to understand the distinctions and strike a balance amongst Indian heritage, Jain religion, spirituality and Western lifestyle.

We will be digging deep, challenging ourselves/our limiting beliefs and exploring new possibilities. Regardless of your current level of understanding, you are bound to walk away with a new expanded view.

List of Questions

We have compiled the list of questions that our youth, young Jain professionals, Pathashala teachers, and adult community have asked us over the past 10 years of time. The following two links contain the listings of all such questions.

http://www.jainelibrary.org/$Questions/01_Youth_Adults_and_Teachers_Questions.pdf

http://www.jainelibrary.org/$Questions/02_Questions_Received_in_Email.pdf

During the workshop we will be discussing these questions and their possible answers using the fundamental principles of Jainism.  Keep in mind that some questions are not easy to answer and some questions may have more than one answer.  Also for some questions we may not have enough knowledge of Jainism to answer.

If you have any question that is not being covered in the above two lists, please send your question using the following link:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1gNRHFm2qnP5RGvmYuBjldLS8FnUXrUjUocSJTsYSPhI/viewform

I would also like to put together a team of Scholars and Pathashala teachers from North America to work on the answers of these questions.  We need to prepare the answers appropriate to our time, place, and circumstances and not violating the fundamental principles of Jainism.  If any of you have an interest to work on this team, please send me an email.  (Qualification - You should be living in North America and have raised families here.)

Prerequisite for the Workshop
Please read the Jaina Education material Reference book – Jainism 101 (JES 901/902) located at the following link

http://www.jainlibrary.org/elib_master/jaina_edu/jaina_edu_book/$JES901_Jainism_E7_20090301_000901.pdf

Future Workshop

I will be conducting similar sessions every day during Paryushana in London UK organized by the Jain Network (Dr. Natubhai Shah - natubhaishah@aol.com) and Young Jains UK organizations.

If your Jain center would like to organize such workshop, please contact Pravin K Shah jainaedu@gmail.com

Follow-ups

Brett Evans’s Article on “A Perspective on Panjarapoles (Animal Shelter) of India”

We have received about 80 email responses around the world basically appreciating his work.  Brett is trying hard to respond individually.  However he will prepare general answer that will be distributed in next week.

Pathashala Presentations at the Jaina Convention

We have uploaded the Pathshala presentation of 18 different Jain centers of North America that we have received at the Jaina convention.  Now you will be able to see the various activities of different Jain Centers of North America at the following link.

http://jainelibrary.org/jaina_path.php

If you want to modify/change your existing information, please send us a new file and we will replace it on the website.  If your center has not provided its presentation, please do it now and we will upload it on the website.

If you have any questions, please fill free to contact at jainaedu@gmail.com

Regards,

Pravin K Shah

Jaina Education Committee
Jain eLibrary.

Claremont Lincoln University Opens a Center for Jain Studies

November 14, 2012

Last fall, the nation’s first interreligious university, Claremont Lincoln University, located forty miles east of Los Angeles, California, saw its opening convocation, at which it celebrated a new partnership with the Jain community.  This fall, on October 8, 2012, only one year since the beginning of the Jain Studies program, Claremont Lincoln University celebrated the inauguration of a new Center for Jain Studies, dedicated to furthering the work of Jain wisdom in today’s world.  In the course of just one year, the Jain Studies program at Claremont Lincoln has become not only the most active program at the University, but also the most active Jain Studies graduate program in the nation--already administering over a dozen programs, including hosting an annual international Jain conference; offering graduate-level Jain dharma courses each year; bringing expert Jain scholars to the area for special lectures and events; hosting an annual Ahimsa Day celebration; and coordinating a summer Jain dharma study abroad program in India for local and national scholars.

With this much Jain activity happening on campus, the University sought to deepen collaborations with its Jain partners even further and, with philanthropic support from the Jain community, launched a Center that will serve as the hub for the many Jain Studies projects flowering out of this intimate partnership.

The Center’s inaugural ceremony on October 8^th was held at Mudd Theater at Claremont School of Theology just before the national panel discussion of the Parliament of the World’s Religions, in which the Jain tradition was represented by former President of JAINA, and one of the senior advisors for the Jain Studies program at Claremont Lincoln, Dr. Sulekh Jain. 

In the celebratory ceremony Professor of Jain Studies, Ms. Brianne Donaldson, who has served as the Dharma Traditions Coordinator for the past year, administering the majority of the Jain projects and activities, recounted the beginnings of the Jain Studies program and its many accomplishments so far.  The new Center Coordinator, Ms. Lidiya Potapenko, followed, speaking on the central importance of ahimsa (or non-violence) in Jain dharma, and announced that the Center’s mission was to put compassion and non-violence to work in the world around us. Dr. Nitin Shah (Loma Linda University), past President of the Jain Center of Southern California and one of the main donors behind the opening of the new Center, spoke on the importance of education in the current world.  The opening celebration also featured a short cultural program of music, dance, and theater performances by Anjal, Priyash, Vaishali, and Mahesh Jain—members of Claremont Lincoln’s local Jain partnership organization, the Jain Center of Southern California (JCSC) in Buena Park.

The new Center for Jain Studies is dedicated to facilitating and promoting open discourse, innovative scholarship, creative expression, and the practical application of Jain teachings in today’s world.  In all of its projects, the Center will especially encourage connections between Jain dharma and other wisdom traditions, and will raise awareness of the larger interconnected ecological environment in which we live.  To find out more about the new Center for Jain Studies at Claremont Lincoln University, please visit jain.claremontlincoln.org.

Launch of Jain Studies program at Virginia Commonwealth University In Richmond, VA

Friends, Jai Jinendra

For several years, we have been working with Virginia Commonwealth University ( VCU) in Richmond, VA to introduce regular Jain Studies program at VCU. During the last 2 years, VCU has had offered lectures on Jainism, four ( 3 students and one Professor) went to International Summer School for Jain Studies in India this year, and last month, Dr. Shugan Jain from ISJS India delivered 2 lectures there to nearly 220 students.

VCU is a prestigious and the second largest university in the State of Virginia with 32,000 student.

With several negotiations and discussions between ISJS and JAINA, now the time has arrived to launch a regular Jain Studies program at VCU.

This will happen on Sunday, November 13, 2011 starting at 10.00am at a beautiful historic hall on VCU campus which has been specially reserved just for this meeting. This really is an excellent opportunity that we will be starting JAIN study program there.

Jain community of Richmond, VA and VCU are hosting this meeting. Several University officials and the Jain Sangh of Richmond, VA will be there to greet the Jain community.

All Jains are invited. Hope we will have a great presence.

Please make your plans and invite as many Jains ;especially from Washington D.C and Raleigh NC areas to participate in this event.

Kindly let us know that you will be coming.

Dr. Sulekh C. Jain Past President JAINA Houston, Texas ,USA 281 494 7656 ( home) 832 594 8005 ( cell)

Dr. Sushil Jain President JAINA Washington, D.C 703 208 1861 ( home) 240 277 3039 ( cell)

Dilip v. Shah Past President JAINA Philadelphia, PA 215 561 0581 ( home) 215 868 0381 ( cell)

Jain Studies professorship in Florida University

Washington: The Florida International University (FIU) has established the Bhagwan Mahavir Professorship of Jain Studies, the first of its kind in the western world, with a $600,000-donation from the Jain Education and Research Foundation.

Nathan Katz, FIU professor who specializes in the religions of India, was named the first Bhagwan Mahavir Professor of the endowed professorship in the Department of Religious Studies in the College of Arts & Sciences, the university announced on Wednesday.

"Dr Katz is a pioneer in the field of Indo-Judaic Studies and has been involved in the Jewish-Hindu dialogue for decades, making him a great candidate for this professorship" said Kenneth G. Furton, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

The endowment is part of a larger initiative by the Jain community to establish an academic education centre for Jain studies and research at FIU.

The proposed Bhagwan Mahavir Interdisciplinary Centre for Religious Pluralism would offer courses in Jainism, provide research opportunities and collaborate with universities throughout the world, the university said.

"The centre will link FIU with other universities globally in a number of projects, including study programmes in India, working with secondary schools and community organizations on religious pluralism, summer institutes, faculty and student exchanges, and lecture series, among other projects," Katz said.

The endeavor is being led by Dipak C. Jain, renowned scholar and chairman of the Jain Education and Research Foundation.

"FIU's faculty shows excellence in the dissemination and application of knowledge," said Samani Charitra Prajna, a faculty of the FIU in Department of Religious Studies.

"The diverse ethnic student body has freedom of thought and expression. This professorship will open new horizons and be a truly worlds ahead initiative for FIU."

Founded in 1965 and Miami's only public research university, the FIU has more than 38,000 students and has been classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as a "High Research Activity University". IANS

Preserving Jain Manuscripts

By Mansi Choksi

More than 4,000 Jain manuscripts, some dating back to the ninth century BC, are being immortalised in a digitised encyclopaedia that will be thrown
open to the public early next year.

‘Jainpedia’ is the brainchild of the Institute of Jainology (IoJ), formed in 1983 mainly by the Jain diaspora in Britain. The collection of manuscripts include scriptures from British institutions like the Victoria and Albert Museum, British Library, Bodleian Library and Wellcome Trust.

“Many have beautifully illustrated folios on paper, cloth and palm leaves with a diverse range of subjects related to Jain beliefs, tradition and practices,’’ said Mehool Sanghrajka, IoJ’s director of education.

The manuscripts cover areas like hymns and prayers, accounts of the lives of the founders of Jainism, didactic literature, lexicography, poetics, philosophy, astrology, karma literature, texts on pilgrimage places and on daily rituals.

Most manuscripts have travelled with British officers posted in India who returned after Independence.

“While compiling these catalogues, the Institute realised that the collections were being used only by scholars and learned monks and nuns,’’ said Sanghrajka.

That’s when the institute decided to make the collection accessible to a wider audience. “This question of access was multi-faceted — physical contact with these manuscripts can be difficult as some are rare, many centuries old and fragile. Even if one could get to them, many are in languages that have not been spoken for a millennia and more. And, if one could perchance read the script, the contents are themselves difficult without an understanding of Jain philosophy, history and culture,’’ he says.

To make them more intelligible, the digitised images will be contextualized with commentaries from modern scholars, audio and video material and translations of the original texts apart from material for schools and young people.

Even Jain elders and members of Jain trusts in Mumbai have given ‘Jainpedia’ the thumbs-up. “The effort taken by the Jain community in Britain will reinforce our own efforts of reaching out to youngsters,’’ says Puspasen Panachand Zaveri, who is a trustee of many Jain trusts including Chadraprabhu Derasar.
Sanghrajka adds that independent research had shown that over 3 lakh people would benefit from the project.

“In particular, school children in England, where the institute has brought Jainism into the English National Curriculum will benefit.” A series of lectures is being planned by the institute to create awareness about the website in Mumbai.

Jain Vishva Bharati Offers Degree Courses in Jainology

Nagaur, Rajasthan: Jain Vishva Bharati is the world’s first Jain University. The inspiring forces behind the establishment of Jain Vishva Bharati University (JVBU) were Gurudev Tulsi, Great seer, saint and scholar of modern era.

His holiness was the ninth Acharya, the supreme head of Jain Terapanth religious sect, comprising more than 700 monks and nuns, and millions of followers all over the country and abroad.

Transcending sectarian boundaries, he had been incessantly working during the last six decades for the welfare of mankind - eradicating social evils, reforming social customs, building up national character and educating the masses about the principles of non-violence Universal peace and brotherhood.

The institute JVBU was founded by Gurudev Tulsi in 1970. In 1991, Government of India notified Jain Vishva Bharati Institute as Deemed University under section 3 of University Grants Commission Act, 1956.

At present Acharya Mahaprajna (a great thinker, philosopher and writer, often described as walking encyclopedia of Jainology) is the Anushasta (The Preceptor) of JAIN VISHVA BHARATI University.

The institute is located at Ladnun, a small town in Nagaur District of Rajasthan, it is 380 kms. west of Delhi and 225 kms. north west of Jaipur. It is well served by deluxe and express bus services from Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Udaipur, Ajmer, Ahmadabad, Delhi and other cities. The nearest airports are Jaipur and Jodhpur.

The campus of JAIN VISHVA BHARATI, sponsoring body of JVBU, is spread over 1, 00, 600 sq. meters of area with trees on either side of the road and parks in the center.
Regular Courses:

Presently, JVBU offers regular, residential, two years post graduate degree courses and three year undergraduate courses commencing every year in the following disciplines:

1. M.A in Jainology and Comparative Religion & Philosophy
2. M.A in Prakrit and Jain Agama
3. M.A/ M.Sc. in Science of Living: Preksha Meditation, Yoga- Therapy
4. M.A in non-violence, Anuvrat, Peace Research
5. M.A in Social Work
6. A certificate course in “SCIENCE OF LIVING” and “PREKSHA

MEDITATION” of one month classroom teaching and two months correspondence is held every year during summer season.
Distance Learning Courses:

The University offers correspondence courses in the following disciplines:-

1. MA in Jainology and Comparative Religion & Philosophy. (Same syllabus as regular course)
2. BA with special emphasis on Jainology and allied Subjects: -
Syllabus covers Jainology and Prakrit as Major subjects and Sanskrit, Science of living, Non- violence and peace as electives.
Capsule Course for Foreigners:

On demand from various scholars of some foreign countries, JAIN VISHVA BHARATI INSTITUTE has planned a 21-day -residential capsule courses on ‘Doctrine and Application of Jainology, Non-Violence, Peace, Science of Living and Preksha Meditation’. Those desirous of attending the course may write to the Registrar, JVBU so that the detailed program could be sent to them individually as soon as possible.
Eligibility, Fee Structure and Admission Procedure

Post Graduate Courses: Applicants should be graduate in any discipline having secured at least 50% marks in aggregate (5% relaxation in case of ST/SC/OBC/Women).Candidates appearing in final year exams may also apply.

Undergraduate Courses: Applicants should have passed 10+2 or equivalent examination from any recognized University or board with minimum 50% of marks in aggregate(5%relaxation in case of SC/ST/OBC/Women).
Admission Test and Interviews:

Test and interviews followed by group discussion is held in the month of June - July every year.For Prospectus cum application form applicants may apply to the Registrar during April and May.The Entrance examination is based on objective General Knowledge and Hindi or English.

Facilities Available:

Central Library: The JVBU’s Central Library known as “Vardhman Granthagar” has over 40,000 books and over 5,000 rare manuscripts. A large number of journals and periodicals are regularly subscribed.

Computer Center: The institute has a well equipped Computer center. Regular students can selectively avail the facility.

Hostel: The institute has co-education. Hostel facility is available to those coming from outside the boys hostel is housed in “AMRITAYAN” an elegant spread out structure on Sadhna Marg .Women’s hostel is in “GAUTAM GYANSHALA” on sewabhavi Marg.

Yoga and Meditation Center: The above center is located in “Tulsi Adhyatma Needam” and offers theoretical and practical training to build spiritual cum scientific personality. There are 60 Meditation room here.

Ayurvedic dispensary: An Ayurvedic Pharmacy research and dispensary for the free treatment of patients is located at the JVBU campus where herbal medicines are also prepared.

Audio visual Center: There is an Audio visual educational center for recording lectures, sermons of holy saints and scholars, discussion and seminars known as “AMRITVANI”

Guest Houses: There are three guest houses for the accommodation of guests coming from outside they are “SATKAR” “SAGAR” and “SUMERU”.

Extension & Training wing: The institute has a separate training cell run in collaboration with Jeevan Vigyan Academy for providing exposure to “Science of Living” and “Preksha Meditation” and provides training to teachers, students, administrators, Police personnel and all those who are interested in it.

Research/Project wing: This research wing focuses on study and research in oriental learning particularly in Jainology under the able guidance of its Anusastha. The critical edition of all Jain Agamas has been prepared in Hindi and English.

Career Prospects:

After successful completion of M.A or M.Sc. degree a student may opt for further Ph.D. degree in the institute with attractive fellowships.

The subject of ‘Science of Living, Preksha Meditation, and Yoga Therapy’ is becoming increasingly popular all over the world. Jeevan Vigyan Academy has various centers, and there is a demand for resource persons for teaching in these centers.

Those qualified in this subject can also become counselors in hospitals, medical institutions, social welfare organization and consultants in industrial houses or may run their own training center or practice as a consultant in the area of Preksha Meditation and Yoga. With the inclusion of Science of Living as a subject in value- education in schools run by Govt. of Rajasthan and Govt. of Delhi, the students may find employment opportunity in such schools.

The subject of ‘Non-Violence, Anuvrat, and Peace Research’ is highly relevant in modern society riddled with Tensions, conflicts, agitation and terrorism. Those qualified in this subject may be usefully employed by non- governmental institutions engaged in rural upliftment, Environmental promotion, value-education, conflict resolution, crime prevention etc.

They can also serve as moral and spiritual guides in international organizations working for social equality, social justice and world peace.

Subjects of ‘Jainology and comparative Religion &Philosophy’ and Prakrit &Jain Agama are all included in NET and SLET examination conducted by UGC and state govt. A student may get job in schools, colleges, Universities especially meant for Oriental studies all over the world.

The subject of ‘Social work’ can offer remedial and rehabilitate services to avert sufferings of individuals, groups and communities on account of exploitation, injustice and deprivation, which can bring social change and development in the society.

The profession has successfully established its utility in handling practical problems as rural development, tribal welfare, development of SC/ST/OBC, women welfare, sex and child abuse, poverty and unemployment, conflict resolution, slum improvement, labor welfare and marriage counseling.

A.N. Chandrakeerthi secured six gold medals

Education is a continuous process for him

MYSORE: Age is not a barrier towards gaining knowledge. For 71-year-old A.N. Chandrakeerthi, education is a continuous process. As he said, "Knowledge has no limit".

Mr. Chandrakeerthi, who bagged six gold medals in M.A. Jainology and Prakrit, is not averse towards gaining knowledge even at this ripe age.

"I pursued Jainology and Prakrit to update my knowledge on Jainism. I wanted to be well-informed about Jain philosophy," said Mr. Chandrakeerthi, a retired director of Town Planning.

The audience at the packed Crawford Hall clapped continuously when Mr. Chandrakeerthi, who took admission to the university as a regular student after 10 years of retirement, went to receive the medals from the Vice-Chancellor.

When Mr. Chandrakeerthi learnt that there were plans to close down the Department of Jainology owing to the lack of students, he took the course as a challenge and to show that people were still keen to pursue such subjects.

Efforts paid off

"My efforts paid off. Seeing my achievement, the university should encourage more students to take up Jainology," he said Mr Chandrakeerthi, who has published several books on Jainology, plans to pursue doctoral study in the subject.