Jain Catholic Dialogue 20150524

Author(s): Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington
Publisher: Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington
Catalog link: https://jainqq.org/explore/007732/1

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Jain - Catholic
Dialogue Sunday, May 24th, 2015
D
JSMW
Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington
1021 Briggs Chaney Road Silver Spring, MD 20905 www.JainSocietyDC.org

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JSMW
ale (l

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Navkar Mantra
Namo Arihantanam
I bow down to Arihanta,
Namo Siddhanam
I bow down to Siddha,
5
Namo Ayariyanam:
I bow down to Acharya,
Namo Uvajjhayanam:
I bow down to Upadhyaya,
Namo Loe Savva-sahunam: I bow down to Sadhu and
Sadhvi.
Eso Panch Namokaro:
These five bowings downs,
JSMW Savva-pavappanasano:
Destroy all the sins,
Manglananch Savvesim:
Amongst all that is auspicious,
Padhamam Havei Mangalam: This Navkar Mantra is the
foremost.

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Jain - Catholic Dialogue
Schedule of Events
Sunday, May 24th, 2015
9:00-10:00 AM
10:00-10:15
10:15 11:30
11:30-12:15
12:15 12:30
12:30-1:30
Registration/Seating
Opening Remarks and Welcome
Jain Prayer (Navakar Mantra) Catholic Prayer
Remarks by
Remarks by
Remarks by
Catholic Keynote Talk Dr. Francis Clooney
Jain Keynote Talk
Dr. Dipak Jain
JS
Jain Ceremony
Catholic Ceremony
Mr. Arvind Vora,
Chairman Interfaith Committee, JAINA
Word of Thanks
Group Fr. John Crossin
Mr. Janak Rajani, President JSMW
H.E. Jean-Louis Cardinal Tauran
Mr. Prem Jain, President JAINA Topic: Compassion
Lunch
5 Min.
10 Min.
Felicitation of Distinguished Guests by Mr. Paresh Shah and Bishop Rozanski
Aarti / Mangal Divo
Ava Maria Courtney I. Stafford
Mr. Pravin Dand, Chairman, BOT, JSMW
5 min.
25 Min.
25 Min.

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Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington
A non-profit tax-exempt religious organization, id # 54-1139623
Welcome Message from President Janak Rajani
Sunday, May 24, 2015
His Eminence Jean-Louis - Cardinal Tauran, His Eminence Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, Dr. Francis Clooney, Dr. Dipak Jain, Mr. Prem Jain, Mr. Arvind Vora, distinguished members of the Board of Trustees and the Executive Committee, my dear volunteers and all members of the Jain Society.
On behalf of the Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington (ISMW), I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you and offer my sincerest thanks to all the dignitaries and attendees for your presence in this first ever Jain-Catholic dialogue at our Jain Society right here in Silver Spring, Maryland.
To give you some background, JSMW was established in March, 1980 with the objective of promoting a better understanding and following of Jain principles. In its current facility, located on a sprawling 4.35 acre lot with 4,300 sq. ft. building, JSMW has grown from its initial membership of less than 30 families to more than 600 families today. Our Jain Center is thriving with many activities on a weekly and monthly basis. Activities such as monthly Snatra Pooja, Devshastra Guru Pooja, and adult/ youth Pathshala classes on 1st and 3rd Sundays are just a few to mention.
We have embarked on a journey to build an authentic Shikarbandhi Jain Temple. We have already achieved an important milestone of purchasing land for this purpose. A 23,000 sq. ft. temple is planned on a 5.5 acre lot, with separate Shwetambar and Digambar temples. The prathistha is planned in Fall2017, opening doors to the future generations of Jains to practice the teachings of non-violence by Lord Mahavir and other Tirthankars.
Jainism, by the virtue of its three tenets, Ahimsa (non-violence), Aparigraha (non-possessiveness), and Anekantavada (non-absolutism), is built on the foundation of compassion. Lord Mahavir said, "Have compassion towards all living beings. Hatred leads to destruction." As we look around us in this world, the lack of compassion has resulted in neighbors being enemies, violence towards the innocent, vengeance gone unchecked, and strife that divides a house in halves. In this day and age, coming together of the Catholic faith, where the basic teachings are immersed in compassion; and Jainism, where the three main tenets can be interpreted in one word: COMPASSION for other living being.
The word "compassion" means to "suffer with someone, with the sense of coming to the person's aid. It is an emotion in us caused by some evil or dire condition seen in someone else. The Good Samaritan is a memorable example.
We hope this dialogue continues between the two religions, bringing people together for the cause of peace and promoting compassion within the human hearts.
Thank you and Jai Jinendra.
Janak Rajani
President, Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington

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Cardinal Jean-Louis Taurang
President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue
Jean-Louis Cardinal Tauran was born on April 5, 1943, in Bordeaux, France. He received his education for the priesthood at the Gregorian University, where he obtained a license in Philosophy and Theology. Ordained to the priesthood in September 1969, he served as parochial vicar in Bordeaux, beginning, at the same time, his studies in Canon Law at the neighboring Institut Catholique in Toulouse. In 1973, he returned to Rome and joined the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy for training for the Pontifical Diplomatic Corps. After having defended his doctoral thesis in Canon Law at the same Gregorian University, he entered the diplomatic service as Secretary of the Apostolic Nunciature in the Dominican Republic and later served in the Apostolic Nunciature in Lebanon. In 1983, he was called to the Vatican and joined the Council for Public Affairs of the Church and for many years he represented the Holy See at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
In 1988, he was appointed Undersecretary of the Council for the Public Affairs of the Church (now known as the Section for Relations with States of the Secretariat of State). On January 6, 1991, he was consecrated as titular Archbishop of Telepte and appointed as Secretary of the same Council. He has led the Holy See Delegation at numerous international conferences.
On October 21, 2003, Cardinal Tauran was appointed cardinal deacon in the consistory and received the red biretta and the deaconry of Saint Apollinare alle Terme NeronianeAlessandrine. On November 24th of the same year, he was named Archivist and Librarian of the Holy Roman Church.
Since the 25th June 2007, Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran is President of the Pontifical Council
for Interreligious Dialogue.

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Bishop Mitchell Thomas Rozanski
Mitchell Thomas Rozanski was born in Baltimore, Maryland on August 6, 1958. A Baltimore native of Polish-American descent, he lived with his family in Fells Point, MD where they attended Holy Rosary
Parish.
He was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Baltimore at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen on November 24, 1984. He served as an associate pastor at St. Michael, Overlea in 1984 and then the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen. He was appointed associate pastor at St. Anthony of Padua, Baltimore in 1985 and St. Isaac Jogues, Baltimore in 1990. He was appointed administrator of Holy Cross and St. Mary Star of the Sea parishes in Baltimore in March 1993, before being appointed pastor there in October. In January 2000 he was appointed temporary administrator of Immaculate Conception, Towson and in June assumed the same duties at St. John before being named its pastor on November 28, 2000.
On July 3, 2004 he was named by Pope John Paul II as auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of Baltimore and was ordained on August 24, 2004 at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen. Upon his ordination as bishop he was named vicar general and episcopal vicar for the Seton Vicariate of the Archdiocese. He also served on the College of Consultors for the Archdiocese and as the Vicar for Hispanics. At the time of his ordination as a bishop in 2004, he was the youngest bishop in the United States.
Bishop Rozanski has served on the National Committee for the Protection of Youth and Young People since January 2007. He also serves on the Advisory Council of the National Association of Catholic Chaplains. He was also named the Episcopal Moderator of the National Association of Holy Name Societies on October 1, 2012, a term that runs thru September 30, 2017. He will also serve as the liaison with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
Bishop Rozanski is co-chair for the Polish National Church - Roman Catholic Dialogue, Audit Subcommittee of USCCB, Knight Commander of the Royal Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, and also serves as a Consultant to the National Association for the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities. Bishop is on the National Advisory Council of the USCCB for a 3 year term through March 2015 and in November 2013 was elected as chair of the Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs Committee of the USCCB.

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Father John Crossin
Father John Crossin is a priest of the Oblates of St. Francis De Sales. He currently serves as executive director of the Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. He was ordained in 1976 and holds a Ph.D. in moral theology, masters' degrees in psychology and theology from The Catholic University of America. He is past president of the North American Academy of Ecumenists. He has taught at several theological schools including Catholic University, Wesley Theological Seminary, Virginia Theological Seminary, Gettysburg Lutheran Theological Seminary and De Sales School of Theology. He is widely published in theological journals and is author of Everyday Virtues, Walking in Virtue: Moral Decisions and Spiritual Growth in Daily Life, Friendship: The Key to Spiritual Growth and What Are They Saying about Virtue. He served previously as executive director of the Washington Theological Consortium (19982011).
(Rev.) John W. Crossin, OSFS is the Executive Director of the Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. He served previously as Executive Director of the Washington Theological Consortium (1998-2011). He was a Visiting Fellow of the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University in 1997-98 and was the president of the DeSales School of Theology in Washington from 1987 to 1997. Father Crossin holds a doctorate in Moral Theology (1982) and Masters Degrees in Roman Catholic Theology (1975) and in Psychology (1978) from the Catholic University of America.
His books are: What Are They Saying About Virtue (1985); Friendship: The Key to Spiritual Growth (1997), Walking in Virtue: Moral Decisions and Spiritual Growth in Daily Life (1998) and Everyday Virtues (2002).
Father Crossin is the former president of the North American Academy of Ecumenists.

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Francis X. Clooney, S.J.
Francis X. Clooney, S.J., joined the Divinity School in 2005. He is Parkman Professor of Divinity and Professor of Comparative Theology and, since 2010, director of the Center for the Study of World Religions. He served as acting director of the CSWR during the 2008 spring term and began a long and active relationship with the Center before coming to HDS, participating in many CSWR programs and events. After earning his doctorate in South Asian languages and civilizations (University of Chicago, 1984), he taught at Boston College for 21 years, until coming to Harvard.
His primary areas of scholarship are theological commentarial writings in the Sanskrit and Tamil traditions of Hindu India, and the developing field of comparative theology, a discipline distinguished by attentiveness to the dynamics of theological learning deepened through the study of traditions other than one's own. He has also written on the Jesuit missionary tradition, particularly in India, and the dynamics of dialogue in the contemporary world.
Clooney is the author of numerous articles and books, including Beyond Compare: St. Francis de Sales and Sri Vedanta Desika on Loving Surrender to God (Georgetown University Press, 2008), The Truth, the way, the Life: Christian Commentary on the Three Holy Mantras of the Srivaisnava Hindus (Peeters Publishing, 2008), and Comparative Theology: Deep Learning across Religious Borders (Wiley-Blackwell, 2010). He edited The New Comparative Theology: Voices from the Next Generation (Continuum, 2010) and co-edited European Perspectives on the New Comparative Theology (MDPI, 2014).
His most recent monograph, His Hiding Place Is Darkness: A Hindu-Catholic Theopoetics of Divine Absence (Stanford University Press, 2013), is an exercise in dramatic theology, exploring the absence of God in accord with the biblical Song of Songs and the Hindu Holy Word of Mouth (Tiruvaymoli). His new book project delves into the Mimamsa tradition of Hindu ritual theology, as a study of the fourteenth century Jaiminiya Nyaya Mala of Madhavacarya.
He is a Roman Catholic priest and a member of the Society of Jesus, and blogs regularly in the "In All Things" section of America magazine online. In July 2010 he was elected a Fellow of the British Academy, and is currently also a Professorial Research Fellow at the Australian Catholic University.

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Prem Jain
President, JAINA
Prem Jain is currently SVP/GM of Insieme BU, Cisco Systems. Insieme BU is responsible for SDN/ACI and Data Center Switches. Prior to Cisco, Mr. Jain was Co-CEO, CFO and Co-Founder of Insieme Networks, Inc. Insieme Networks was acquired by Cisco in Dec 2013. Prior to Insieme, Mr. Jain was the Senior Vice President of the Server Access Virtualization Technology Group at Cisco Systems from 2008 to 2011. Prior to this Mr. Jain worked in various capacity in High tech Communication Networking industry for last 35 years
Prem Jain is also currently President of JAINA and he would like to make JAINA a global organization by ensuring that it is financially strong and by working together, we can make JAINA the #1 service organization for the Jain community in North America. Mr. Jain is also founding advisory board member of The Ahimsa Center, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona as well as board member of JERF which is associated with Bhagawan Mahavir Professorship of Jain Studies at Florida International University.
Prem Jain is the recipient of two patents and is a member of the IEEE organization. He holds a B.E. degree with honors from BITS Pilani, India, and a Master's degree in EECS from U.C. Davis. Mr. Jain is actively involved in volunteer work for various non-profit organizations in North America as well as in India

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Professor Dipak C. Jain, Ph.D. Director of Sasin
The INSEAD Chaired Professor of Marketing
Dipak C. Jain is a globally recognized marketing and innovation expert whose insights have inspired a generation of business leaders to pursue success with significance. As Director of the Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration of Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Dr. Jain is advancing the strategic goals of this school that has long benefited from his affiliation as a visiting professor and member of the Sasin Executive Council.
Dr. Jain's academic career began as a student in Tezpur (Assam) India. He earned his bachelor's degree in mathematics and statistics (1976) and his master's degree in mathematical statistics (1978) from Gauhati University, where he taught for four years before enrolling in the University of Texas (Dallas), where he obtained his Ph.D. in Marketing in 1987.
An award-winning scholar in his own right, Dr. Jain's areas of research expertise include the marketing of high-tech products; market segmentation and competitive market structure analysis; cross-cultural issues in global product diffusion; new product innovation; and forecasting models. He has published more than 60 articles in leading academic journals and has earned the prestigious John D.C. Little Best Paper Award. He has taught courses on marketing research, new products and services, and statistical models in marketing. Among the many distinctions for his teaching and service, Dr. Jain received the Outstanding Educator Award from the State of Assam in India. He also has received the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas from the Prime Minister of India, an award that recognizes exceptional leadership contributions.
Dr. Jain has served as the departmental editor for the journal Management Science, the area editor for Marketing Science and associate editor for the Journal of Business and Economic Statistics. He is also a former member of the editorial board of the Journal of Marketing Research.
Dipak Jain's board service also has earned him distinction. He currently serves as an Independent Director on Boards of John Deere & Company (USA), Northern Trust Corporation (USA), Global Logistics Properties (Singapore) and Reliance Industries (India). He is a former director at United Airlines, Hartmarx Corporation and Peoples Energy. He has served as a consultant to many firms, including Microsoft, Novartis, American Express, Sony, Nissan, Eli Lilly and Company, and Hyatt International. In addition, he has been appointed as Honorary Advisor of the Marketing Association of Thailand (MAT). He has designed and delivered training programs for several organizations in Thailand, such as SCG, Fiscal Policy Research Institute (FPRI) and The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
As an academic innovator with decades of leadership experience in Asia, the Americas, and Europe, Dr. Jain continuously explores new ways of anticipating and meeting global market demand. Through his teaching, research and administrative vision, he is leading Sasin's efforts to produce the next generation of management talent to create value in the ASEAN region and beyond.

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Arvind Vora Having been blessed with a good education, multiple talents, and a desire to always be meaningfully busy and active to help others, he has compiled an unparalleled experience in the field of community work, religion, government, etc. RELIGION: Arvind Vora belongs to an extremely small (numerically) but a very ancient religion called JAIN. He helped establish local, regional and national Jain organizations in North America. The White House requested him to lead a delegation of 15 people for the bill (Religious Freedom Restoration Act) signing ceremony by President Clinton in the Rose Garden of the White House. In 2005, he was invited to the President's Palace in New Delhi for a multi-faith dialogue with the then-President of India, Hon. Abdul Kalam, who is a renowned scientist and a Muslim in a majority Hindu nation. Arvind Vora was one of the ten invited (and the only Jain) to meet/greet Pope Benedict on his first visit to the USA in April 2008. He met privately to Dalai Lama before he won the Nobel Peace Prize and afterwards led the Jain delegation at his request to his "Thank You" trip on 50th Anniversary of his settlement in India. On 1/1/2010, he offered prayers on behalf of LIMFF at the inauguration of newly elected Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano, as was done four years ago for Thomas Suozzi. He was invited to join the US delegation of 20 people to attend Indonesia-USA Interfaith Cooperation Conference at Jakarta from January 25-27, 2010, undertaken at the behest of the White House/State Department as a result of the policy speech delivered by President Obama in Cairo, Egypt on improving US relations with the Muslim world. One of the 40 task force members of GIFHD (Global Initiative on Faith, Health, and Development) convened at the White House (July-December 2010).
Arvind Vora helped to found the Jain Society of Long Island. He worked very hard for three critical years at Jain Center of America in New York City, which hosted the very first JAINA convention in New York. He was instrumental in the formative years of JAINA as the first Secretary to lay a solid foundation of JAINA. He worked on special projects such as Gurudev Chitrabhanu's 25th Anniversary of arrival in U.S.A./75th Birthday Celebration in 1996-1997); 2600th Birth Anniversary Celebration of Mahaveera Swami at UN Chapel in 2002, etc. In addition to many honors and recognitions, he received the highest honor of JAINA RATNA for his multifaceted religious activities in 2003.
In the early 1990s, sensing a need to ease problems caused in our increasingly multi-religious society, mainstream institutions, Auburn Theological Seminary, and the Long Island Council of Churches helped to establish Long Island Multi-Faith Forum (LIMFF) in 1994. Arvind Vora has been Chairman since its inception and devotes a tremendous amount of time and energy to make LIMFF the best possible institute. LIMFF became instrumental in having a key Cardinal visit from Rome to deliver an important message and Buddhist Leader (equivalent of Dalai Lama from Taiwan. For the first time in the history of St. Agnes Cathedral the newly-installed Bishop faced the "9-11 Crisis." LIMFF played a key role in bringing both County Executives Diocese covers Nassau and Suffolk) and leaders of twelve faiths (they are all based on Long Island) at the St. Agnes Cathedral for a joint and unique 9-11 prayer services in the presence of past and current Bishops. LIMFF has received local, regional, and national acclaims for its path-breaking activities. Arvind Vora is a retired engineer, and lives in Kings Park, New York with his wife ILA. They have two grown children, daughter Anjali and son Aditya.

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Pravin Dand M.B.A., FCA, LL.B., B.Com
Chairman, Board of Trustees
Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington
Pravin Dand is the Chief Financial Officer of Cornet Technology, Inc., a Springfield, Virginia based Voice, Video and Data Communication Solutions manufacturing company. After joining the company in 1997 as Financial Controller, he assumed the position of Chief Financial Officer in 1999. Dand also serves as a Managing Director of Cornet GmbH a German company and as Managing Director of Cornet Nihon a Japanese company. Pravin Dand has extensive experience in financial management in small to mid-sized manufacturing, government contractor, and investment companies. Dand has worked in several different financial positions including Director of Accounting, Controller, Group Controller and Vice President. He also has worked as a Merchant Banker and Registered Investment Advisor with Bear Stearns and Company. Dand holds an M.B.A. in Finance from the University of Bridgeport, CT, a Chartered Accountant (CA) Degree from the Institute of Chartered Accountants, New Delhi, and a Bachelor's Degree in Law and Commerce from the University of Bombay. Pravin Dand has served as a President of the Jain Society, member of the Board of Trustees and is presently Chairman of the Board of Trustees. He has also served as a Director of JAINA. The roots of his interest in Jainism were planted by his parents, devout Jains, who strictly followed many principles of Jainism. Dand has read many Jain books besides books on Economics and Law and has been teaching and lecturing about Jainism to the members of the Jain Society and others for over 25 years. Throughout his life he has incorporated the principles of Non-Violence (Ahimsa), Compassion, Charity and Austerities (Tap).

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Janak Rajani President, Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington
Janak Rajani has been associated with the Jain Society for more than a decade now. Back in 2001, he first volunteered his time and talents by serving as the Webmaster and redesigned the Jain Society's website in an effort to provide effective communications through an easy-to-navigate user interface. Next, he joined the Executive Committee as a Joint Treasurer in 2003. He has been an active member who is involved with the Jain Society since that time.
versity, with
He graduated in 2004 with his first M.S. degree in Computer Science from Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland. He will earn his second M.S. degree in Global Leadership from National Defense University, Washington, D.C. on June 18, 2015.
Janak is passionate about public service, first learned under the tutelage of Jesuit Priests at St. Xaviers'. He likes to help the community in any way he can. He works full-time for the U.S. Government, is a notary public, and teaches various Information Technology courses as a Professor at local colleges.

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Paresh B. Shah
Paresh B. Shah has been an active member of the Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington D.C. since 1998. He started volunteering with the Jain Society through several service projects, such as the Animal Shelter and the D.C. Kitchen for Homeless. He joined the Executive Committee in 2005, and served as Education Coordinator, Vice President and President of the Jain Society. As Pathshala Coordinator, he encouraged the growth and development of future Jain leaders. As President, he worked with the local youth to raise funds to bring the 2014 Young Jains of America Convention to the Washington D.C. Metro area, and successfully hosted the 2014 YJA Convention in Crystal City, Virginia. He currently serves as the Chairman of President's Council, and is continuously working with youth, advocating more involvement from future generations.
He completed his master's degree in physics from the University of Mumbai, as well as his master's degree in Computer Science from East Tennessee State University.
Paresh is working as the Director of Information Technology with HCA Healthcare Inc. in Northern Virginia. When he is not at his full time job, he is passionate about spending time with his family and helping out at the Jain Center.

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JSMW
Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington
A non-profit tax-exempt religious organization, id # 54-1139623
AARATI
Jay jay arati aadi jinanda, naabhiraya maroodevi ko nanda, Jay jay arati... Pehli arati puja kije, nar bhav paami ne laho leeje; Jay jay arati aadi jinanda, naabhiraya maroodevi ko nanda, Jay jay arati... Dusri arati din dayala, dhuleva mandal me jag ajuwala, Jay jay arati aadi jinanda, naabhiraya maroodevi ko nanda, Jay jay arati... Teesri aarti tribhuvan deva, sur nar indra kare tari seva,
Jay jay arati aadi jinanda, naabhiraya maroodevi ko nanda, Jay jay arati... Chauthi arati chaugati chure, man vanchith fal shiva sukh pure, Jay jay arati aadi jinanda, naabhiraya maroodevi ko nanda, Jay jay arati... Panchmi aarti punya upaya, mulchande rushabh guna gaaya Jay jay arati aadi jinanda, naabhiraya maroodevi ko nanda...(2)
1
MANGAL DEEVO
Deevo re deevo prabhu mangalika deevo, Aarati utari ne bahu chiranjeevo Sohamanu ghar parva dewali,
Ambar khele amra bali Depal bhane ane kul ajuwali, Bhave bhakte vigna nivari Depal bhane ane ae kali kale, Arati utari raja kumarpale,
Ama ghar mangalika, tum ghar mangalika, Mangalika chaturvidha sangh ne hojo.
JS Deevor

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JSMW
Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington
A non-profit tax-exempt religious organization, id # 54-1139623
Ave Maria Gratia plena
Maria Gratia plena
Maria Gratia plena Ave, ave dominus
Dominus tecum
Benedicta tu in mulieribus Et benedictus
Et benedictus fructus ventris Ventris tui Jesus
Ave Maria
JSMAve Maria Mater dei Ora pro nobis pecatoribus
Ora, ora pro nobis
Ora ora pro nobis pecatoribus
Nunc et in hora mortis
In hora mortis, mortis nostrae In hora mortis nostrae Ave Maria!

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Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington
A non-profit tax-exempt religious organization, id # 54-1139623
Jain Associations In North America - JAINA
JAINA was established in 1981 with the blessings of Late Acharya Sushil Kumarji and Gurudev Chitrabhanu. JAINA has grown from four Jain Centers to over 70 Jain centers at present, representing over 100,000 Jains.
JAINA is the only organization representing all Jains in North America irrespective of their languages, traditions or region of India they are hailing from.
JAINA hosts biennial conventions during July 4th week during odd years where thousands of Jains come from all over the world to interact and enlighten themselves. Scholarly presentations by academicians as well as priestly class provide unparalleled forum for Jains and non-Jains. This year the convention will be in Atlanta during July 2 to 5, 2015.
Two major affiliates are: Young Jains of America (YJA) which holds convention during even years and Young Jain Professionals (YJP) which has many networking events throughout North America.
Two major publications are: unique yearly calendar that has become a collector's item and a quarterly publication of JAINA Digest, both of which are mailed to more than 15000 families.
JAINA has more than 30 committees to promote its objectives:
1.
To promote religious and educational activities related to Jainism and to develop a better understanding of the Jain Religion.
2.
To assist existing Jain associations and formation of new Jain associations in North America.
3.
To provide and promote academic and cultural interchanges and cooperation among Jains in North America, India and throughout the world.
To assist and promote charitable and humanitarian community services in North America, India and throughout the world.
5.
To promote vegetarianism and nonviolence.
6.
To assist in the establishment of Jain Temples, Sthanaks, Pathsalas and other facilities.
7.
To establish liaison with governmental and other agencies for the above objectives.
JAINA Website - www.jaina.org

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Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington
JSMW
A non-profit tax-exempt religious organization, id # 54-1139623
Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington Background: Jain Society was established in March 1980
Current Facilities: Acquired in 1989, consists of 4.35 acres of land with a 4300 sq. ft. two story building with a Jain temple, multipurpose hall, classrooms, library, kitchen and rooms. In July 2010, Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington achieved an important milestone of purchasing land for the future traditional Jain Temple located at 4241 Ammendale Road, Beltsville, MD 20705. Membership: Over 580 families including 530+ families as life members.
Activities: • Regular religious classes on Sundays: 6 levels for children and 3 levels for Adults M • Celebration of Jain holy days (Mahavir Janma Kalyanak, Paryushan Parva, etc.) • Speeches by Jain spiritual leaders and Jain scholars. • Youth activities in coordination with national umbrella youth organization (YJA) for establishing a network to share Jain heritage and Jain religion principles. • Celebration of Ahimsa Day on Thanksgiving Day. • Picnic, Open House and Medical Checkups. • Community outreach activities.
JSMW Website: www.jainsocietydc.org

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Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington
BMW
A non-profit tax-exempt religious organization, id # 54-1139623
Interfaith Committee of JAINA
One of the core principles of Jainism is ANEKANTVADA. Truth and reality are difficult to grasp, since one needs to see them from every possible way, which most human are incapable; hence cause for disagreements, divorce, fights and even wars. Befitting this principle, JAINA has Interfaith Committee since its inception. Its mission through this principle is to bring harmony, understanding among faiths and thereby peace.
The committee members are determined to reach out to other faith representatives, interfaith/multifaith organizations, and government and nongovernment organizations. JAINA is very active in two large national/international organizations: Parliament of World Religions and Religions for Peace. Through these organizations, no doubt Jainism has made inroads from academic world to the main stream, though lot more needs to be done.
Members, in addition to reach out to their neighbors and local community have participated in many high profile activities. Jainism is represented since 1893, at the very first POWR in Chicago and 100 years later at the second one also in Chicago. Then every five or six years JAIN have actively participated in other POWR be it in South Africa, Barcelona, or Australia. Members through their active participations have been called to represent Jainism be at The White House for Religious Freedom Restoration Act bill signing ceremony or Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi to have interfaith dialogue with the then President of India Dr. Abdul Kalam, one of the most prominent scientists and a religious scholar or in Indonesia at the behest of White House and State Department for Indonesia - USA Interfaith Cooperation.
Also Members were in Seoul, South Korea last year for peace promotion and at UN for several workshops, seminars and presentations for more than 20 years. Most of its members have been bestowed with awards and recognitions by Jain and non Jain organizations.

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Learn more about Jainism
Jainism is an ancient religion of India that teaches a path to spiritual purity and enlightenment through a disciplined mode of life founded upon the tradition of nonviolence to all living creatures. Practitioners believe that nonviolence and selfcontrol are the means by which they can obtain liberation. The three main principles of Jainism are Non-violence (Ahimsa), Non-Absolutism (Anekantavada) and Non-Possessiveness (Aparigraha). Followers of Jainism take 5 major vows: non-violence, non-lying, non-stealing, chastity, and non-attachment. Asceticism is thus a major focus of the Jain faith.
Jainism is one of the oldest religions in the world. Jains traditionally trace their history through a succession of twenty-four propagators of their faith known as Tirthankaras with Rishabhdev as the first and Mahavira as the last of the current era. Although traditionally dated to 599–527 BCE, Mahavira is regarded as a close contemporary of the Buddha. Beginning in the 7th-5th century BCE, Jainism evolved into a cultural system that has made significant contributions to Indian philosophy and logic, art and architecture, mathematics, astronomy and astrology, and literature.
Jainism has more than 7 million followers worldwide with a majority residing in India. There are smaller immigrant communities mainly in the United States, Kenya, United Kingdom and Canada.
Three Gems
Jainism preaches that the following three ratna (gems) of Jainism lay down the path to become God or Siddha.
Right View (Samyak Darshan) - Belief in substances ascertained as they are
Right Conduct (Samyak Charitra) - Application of the developed right knowledge
Right Knowledge (Samyak Gyan) - To ascertain the true nature of reality

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Five Main Vows
Jainism encourages spiritual development through cultivation of personal wisdom and through reliance on self-control through vows. Jains accept different levels of compliance for strict followers and laymen. Followers of this religion undertake five major vows:
Ahimsa means nonviolence. The first major vow taken by followers is to cause no harm to living beings. It involves minimizing intentional and unintentional harm to other living creatures by actions, speech or thoughts.
Satya means truth. This vow is to always speak the truth. Given that non-violence has priority, other principles yield to it whenever they conflict: in a situation where speaking truth could lead to violence, silence may be observed.
Asteya means not stealing. Jains believe in not taking anything that is not willingly offered. Attempting to extort material wealth from others or to exploit the weak is considered theft. Fair value should be given for all goods and services purchased.
Brahmacharya means chastity for laymen and celibacy for Jain monks and nuns. This requires the exercise of control over the senses to control indulgence in sexual activity.
Aparigraha means non-possessiveness. This includes non-materialism and nonattachment to objects, places and people. Jain monks and nuns completely renounce property and social relations.
City and val
Monks and nuns are obligated to practice these five cardinal principles very strictly, while laymen are encouraged to observe them within their current practical limitations.
Additionally, Jainism identifies four passions of the mind: Anger, Pride (Ego), Deceitfulness and Greed. Jainism recommends conquering anger by forgiveness, pride (ego) by humility, deceitfulness by straight-forwardness and greed by
contentment.

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JSMW
Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington
A non-profit tax-exempt religious organization, id # 54-1139623
Message from Chairman Pravin Dand
Jai Jinendra,
May 24, 2015
Your Eminence Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, Your Eminence Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, Dr. Francis Clooney, Dr. Dipak Jain, Mr. Prem Jain, Mr. Arvind Vohra, Respected Members of the Board of Trustees, Members of the Executive Committee, Volunteers and Members of the Jain Society.
I consider it an honor and privilege to stand here and say a few words in general about compassion and thank all the dignitaries and all others who have attended the first ever Jain - Catholic Dialogue in the Metro Washington area.
This is an historical event as it is for the first time in the Metro area that the Jain and Catholic communities have come together to enter into a dialogue and to know and clearly understand the virtues and beliefs of the two religion.
What an appropriate topic, then, to base this first discussion between our two religions than Compassion? Something that has been ably shown today as core to both our beliefs and traditions.
Compassion is critical in the teachings of the Bible. At the same time it is also a critical element in everything that we believe as Jains. It stands at the center of who we are as human beings.
Today's talk highlights that while there is much to divide us, there is so much more to unite us. I hope that this will be the beginning of many more such dialogues between our communities - something that becomes ever more important with each day as religious intolerance and violence spreads around the world.
I would like to thank His Eminence Jean-Louis Cardinal Tauran (Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church) President, Pontifical Council for the Inter Religious Dialogue, Vatican. His Eminence Cardinal Theodore McCarrick and Dr. Francis Clooney for taking time to come here and talk to us today. We welcome them as friends.
I would also like to thank Dr. Dipak Jain, Director (Dean) of Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration of Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand. Mr. Arvind Vohra from New York, and Mr. Prem Jain, President of JAINA from California
And how can I forget to thank all the Trustees, President and Executive Committee members, Volunteers and members of the Jain Society.
Thank you and Jai Jinendra.
Pravin Dand
Chairman, Board of Trustees, Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington

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Hei HEISIEM IRI VOICE MIN O THEID PARA HC Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington Designed by Ravi Doshi