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________________ The Magazine of the Federation of Jain Associations in North America TAIN DIGEST WINTER 1999 VOLUME 15, NO. 4 MARKING THE MILLENNIUM Jaina Calendar 2000 2010_02 YJA CONVENTION LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 4, 2000
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________________ JAIN TEMPLE, WASHINGTON, DC Cardiology Vinod K. Shah, MD, FACC Adinath A. Patil. MD, FACC Anil K. Shah, MD, FACC Anantha Rao, MD, FAOC Gastroenterology Nayan R. Shah, MD, FACG Umed K. Shah, MD, FACG Atul R. Shah, MD, FACG Pulmonology Kiran D. Mehta, MD, FCCP Neurology Beena A. Shah, MD Internal Medicine Bhasker A. Jhaveri, MD David M. Federle, MD Mary Kramer, MD Avani D. Shah, MD Dhiren Shah, MD Chandra Saja, MD Manoj Panwala, MD Hematology/Oncology Gurdeep Chhabra, MD Gerontology Rita B. Jhaveri, MD Anwar T. Munshi, MD, FACP Pediatrics M.EO. Lafeer, MD, FAAP Ila V. Shah, MD, FAAP Dawn Bertram-Stewart, MD Beena Khetpal, MD Internal Medicine/Pediatrics James L. Harring, MD, FAAP Fahmi H. Fahmi, MD Family Practice John E. Fenwick, MD J. Patrick Jarboe, MD Robert J. Bauer, MD John L. Bennett, MD J. Scott Tidball, MD Roy H. Bunales, MD Radiology Halappa G. Hakkal, MD Harris E. Orzach, MD Psychiatry Aruna A. Paril, MD Endocrinology John Tourtelor, MD JAI JINENDRA aho! aho! zrI sadaguru, karuNAsiMdhu apAra 31 T4R RTY Rull, 3TET! 3TET! 3405R (828) Thanks! the Holy True Teacher! Unfathomable ocean of compassion; I'm highly obliged; Oh! good Teacher, The Pupil poor has no expression. (124) zu prabhucaraNakane dharuM? AtmAthI saha hIna; te to prabhule Apiyo, vartu caraNAdhina (125) What should I offer to you, Lord? In soul-comparison all is trifle; The soul is gifted by the Lord, I wish to act to your oracle. (125) Hollywood Office Philip J. Bean Medical Center PO Box 640 24035 Three Notch Road Hollywood, MD 20636 301-373-7900 Leonardtown Office St. Mary's Medical Arts Building 22650 Cedar Lane Court Leonardtown, MD 20650 310-475-5021 Shanti Medical Center 26840 Point Lookout Road Leonardtown, MD 20650 301-475-5577 (IM) 301-475-5524 (eds) Prince Frederick Office Calvere Medical Office Building 110 Hospital Road, Suite 303 Prince Frederick, MD 20678 410-535.4333 California Office By The Mill Road Office PO Box 540 23263 By the Mill Road California, MD 20619 301-863-5835 Lexington Park Office 22335 Exploration II Suite 1030 (IM) & 1035 (Peds) Lexington Park, MD 20653 301-863-7041 (IM) 301-863-9000 (Peds) Charlotte Hall Office Charlotte Hall Medical Centre PO, Box 507 29798 Three Notch Road Charlotte Hall, MD 20622 301-884-7322 (IM) 301-884-7330 (Peds) Mechanicsville Office Village Medical Annex 28160 Old Village Road, Suite A Mechanicsville, MD 20659 301-884-4666 Washington Area 831 University Blvd., #32 Silver Spring MD 20903 301-445-4430 - Shri Atmasiddhi Shastra, Srimad Rajchandra - We dedicate ourselves to ceaseless efforts of Acharya Sushil Kumarji and Gurudev Chitrabhanuji, in spreading the principles of Jainism among all the Jains settled in North America. We congratulate the Executive Committee for their devoted service to JAINA. SHAH ASSOCIATES, M.D.,P.A. Shanti Medical Center, P.O. Box 664, Leonardtown, MD 20650 Phone: 301-475-5579 Metro 301-870-2049 Fax 301-884-7419 Jain Education Intemational 2010_02
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________________ JAIN DIGEST WINTER 1999 VOL.15 NO. 4 CIRCULATION: 7500 In this issue From the Editor Letters to Editor Headquarter News Regional News Bridege to 21st century.................. 12 Committee News Book Review Affiliate News ...................... 15 International News For our health Jain Myths and Unknowns: Solved Shall we think a fresh. 17 JAINA Current Financial Statement. Life Members Update.. MIS Registration Fonn. MIS Inforamation Matrimonials 4 Young Minds ......................................................... 19 13 .16 JAIN DIGEST CIRCULATION Federation of JAINA P. O. Box 700 Getzville, NY 14068-0700 16 20 21 21 22 23 2010_02 24 Moving? Receiving duplicate copies? Send your address corrections tos PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Dear Sahdharmic Brothers and Sisters: Jai Jinendra! At the threshhold of the new century and a new mimmenium, we realize that there are many things that we would like to do now and in the century ahead. Our religion will provide us the stability in our life. We feel the need to revitalize our spiritual values. In the first 100 days, the newly installed Executive Committee is trying to do just that. We are working on the goals that will move us forward in the years ahead. Response to our book source project has been very encouraging and we are planning to make available more books on Jainism. JAINA Focus and Jain Digest were published in time. JAINA calendar should be in your hand by this time and I hope it will serve as a Dharama-Pravabak to us. Your response will be appreciated. We are now planning to have JAINA Day with each of our affiliate centers to encourage mutual understanding and help the cause of Jainism. Our scholar visitation committee is also planning informative seminars on Jainism during the summer of 2000. Tirth Yatra Committee has already planned Yatra to Gujarat and Rajsthan. I hope you are one of the lucky one [Bhavya Jeev] joining the Yatra Sangh. Committees for Senior Citizens, Jirnodhar, Temple, MIS, Global Ahimsa, and Scholar Visitation are quite active towards their goals. Increased coordination and cooperation has been achieved with YJP and YJA. The plans to hold YJA Convention in July 2000 are well under way; please extend full support to them. During my recent short visit to India I had the good fortune of receiving blessing of Acharya Vidhya Sagar Ji, Acharya Maha Pragya, Acharya PadamSuri ji and others Jainacharyas. They are very much interested in Jainism and JAINA in North America and are very willing to extend any help we may need. They do appreciate Jain unity in North America and bless us in the united way. Our Sadhu Sanghs are very much concerned about disunity amongst Jains in India causing a serious damage to our religion on Individual and National level. Increase in meat export from India should also be a concern to all of us. We as Jains should actively voice our concern on this issue. An Ahimsa Day rally for this purpose is being held in New Delhi on January 1, 2000 and I urge you to attend it if you are visiting India during that period. We are already aware of recent natural calamity in the form of devastating cyclone in Orissa. Please response whole-heartedly to the appeal for donation from our WCS committee. My personal thanks to all the Trustees, Patrons and Jain Digest Life members for putting their faith in JAINA and Jainism. I also invite all community members to participate in various activities of JAINA and join its membership to help in our efforts to preserve Jain heritage of which we all care. During this holiday season of sharing and caring please do contribute to various projects undertaken by JAINA through various committees. Please accept my sincere best wishes for a happy, healthy, prosperous and spiritually rewarding New Year. Odys Mahendra K. Pandya President, JAINA JAIN DIGEST WINTER 1999/1
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________________ JAIN DIGEST A publication of the FEDERATION OF JAIN ASSOCIATIONS IN NORTH AMERICA (JAINA) EDITOR IN CHIEF Lata Champsee 35 Whitehorn Crescent Willowdale, ONT M2J 3B1 Canada Phone: 416/493-1666 Fax: 416/493-1667 latachampsee@usa.ner REGIONAL EDITORS Canada Dr. Mahendra Mehta 26 Vancho Cres Islington, Ont M9A 4Z2 Phone/Fax 416/241-2044 Midwest, US Manubhai Doshi 931 Golden Road Lake Forest, IL 60045 Phone: 847/735-0120 Northeast, US Dineshbhai Chheda 9 Johnson Ave West Caldwell, NJ 07006 Phone: 973/808-2661 Southeast, US Surendra Shah 1465 Sumter Drive Marietta, GA 30064-2920 Phone: 770/422-1483 Southwest, US Jadavji Kenia (jkenia@iname.com) 1819 Plymouth Rock Drive Richardson, TX 75081-3942 Phone: 972/690-3593 West, US Chandrakant Parekh 12914 Wolverton Lane Cerritos, CA 90701-7265 Phone: 562/865-1679, Fax: 562/865 3915 engsys@aol.com ASSOCIATE EDITORS Young Minds Reshma Modi 248/ 851-3965, reshmamodi@mail.com Rajan Mehta Phone: 510/704-5683, rajmehta@mail.com Matrimonials Hasmukh Shah 8721 Scrimshaw Drive New Port Richey, FL 34653-6623 Phone: 727/376-7989 MANAGING EDITORIAL BOARD Lata Champsee, Manubhai Doshi, Jagat Jain, Ramesh Jain, Vijay Jain, Harshad Shah, Anop Vora The Managing Editorial Board will endeavor to publish all material submitted but reserves the right to edit and/or reformat for clarity and space restrictions. The views expressed in the articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Managing Editorial Board of JAIN DIGEST. PUBLICATION DATES AND DEADLINES Spring (March) February 15 Summer (June) May 15 August 15 November 15 Fall (September) Winter (December) 2/ JAIN DIGEST. WINTER 1999 2010_02 Shi Federation of Jain Associations in North America (JAINA) JAINA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE President Mahendra K. Pandya Phone: 718/816-0083, Fax: 212/319-6781 First Vice President Bipin D. Parikh Phone: 847/699-1294, Fax: 312/726-4274 Regional Vice Presidents Jasvant Mehta, Canada Phone: 780/435-9070, Fax: 780/497-5598 Ila G. Mehta, Midwest US Phone: 419/865-2727, Fax: 419/868-7476 Hansraj C. Maru, Northeast US Phone/Fax: 203/775-1906 Deepika Dalal, Southeast US Phone: 954/431-5957, Fax: 954/545-6501 Kirit C. Daftary, Southwest US Phone: 254/776-4209, Fax: 254/753-1411 Girish P. Shah, West US Phone: 408/378-8765, Fax: 650/694-6961 Secretary Vinay K. Vakani Phone: 201/967-9344, Fax: 201/967-9344 Treasurer Anop R. Vora Phone: 716/473-9290, Fax: 716/473-9450 Immediate Past President Dhiraj H. Shah Phone: 716/773-1314, Fax: 716/775-0268 SPECIAL OFFICE BEARER Executive Director of JAINA Kamalesh Amin Phone/Fax: 716/636-5342 jainahq@aol.com BOARD OF DIRECTORS All Board of Directors names to be printed in the Summer 2000 issue. JAINA CHARITABLE TRUST Executive Council Chairmen - Dhiraj Shah, Buffalo, NY Mahendra Pandya, New York, NY Jagat Jain, Buffalo, NY Secretary General - Kirir Kapadia, New York, NY Members-at-Large Comptroller Rajen Jaswa, Saratoga, CA Bipin Parikh, Chicago, IL Bhupendra folia, Norwood, NJ Trustees All Trustees names and photos to be printed in the Fall 2000 issue. JAINA ON THE INTERNET JAINA Jain BBS http://www.jaina.org/ http://www.jainism.org/ Young Jains of America. http://www.yja.org/ JAINA COMMITTEES Ahimsa Day Celebration Surendra Singhvi 937/885-7414 Community Leadership Council Ramesh Shah 440/442-4596 Environment and Ecology Nancy Jain 416/447-1650 Essay Competition Chhaya Kapadia 516/829-3316 JAINA Convention Board Bipin Parkih 847/669-1294 Govt & International Organizations Relations Dhiraj H. Shah 716/773-1314 Interfaith Activities/World Council of Jains Manoj Dharamsi 703/620-9837 Rashmi Gardi 847/428-4298 Jain Poojas Naresh Shah 516/741-9269 Arhant Jain 905/827-7494 JAIN DIGEST Membership Keerti Shah 630/837-8716 JAINA Bulletin Board Service Pravin Shah 919/469-0956 JAINA Temple Guidelines Jagat Jain 716/688-0104 Jiv Daya Ratibhai Shah 817/430-8081 Library and Education Prem Gada 806/794-4777 Toronto Associate Edmonton Montreal Ottawa Vancouver MIDWEST Regular Chicago Cinncinati/Dayton Cleveland Columbus Detroit St. Louis Associate Kansas City Minneapolis Milwaukee AFFILIATES Buffalo Cherry Hill Essex Fells Hudson Valley New York Orange Philadelphia Pittsburgh Rochester Washington, DC MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS Regular. Two directors on JAINA's Board (over 50 families). Asociate: One director on JAINA's Board (up to 50 families). CANADA NORTHEAST Regular Regular SOUTHEAST Regular SOUTHWEST Regular Boston Atlanta Dallas Miami Associate Houston Phoenix Associate Tulsa Lubbock Colorado Associate Albany Allentown Elmira Harrisburgh Hartford Syracuse Brahmi Jain Society, US and Canada International Alumni Association of Mahavir Jain Vidyalaya, Rochester, NY International Mahavir Jain Mission, US and Canada Jain Meditation International Center, US & Canada Jain Social Group, IA and Toronto Kutchhi Gurjar Jain Society, Grand Island, NY Kutchhi Oswal Samaj, San Francisco Shri S. S. Jain Foundation, Toronto, Canada Shri Mahavir Jain Foundation, Santa Ana, CA Jain Academic Foundation of N. America, Lubbock, TX HEADQUARTERS PO Box 700, Getzville, NY 14068-0700 Phone/Fax: 716/636-5342 Telephone Hours: Monday - Friday. 2 PM - 5 PM EST Long Term Planning Prabodh Vaidya 630/985-9144 Mahavir Memorial Dr. Manoj Dharamsi 703/620-9837 Marriage Information Service Hasmukh Shah 727/376-7989 Media Watch/Public Relations Sushil Jain 301/670-0519 Membership Kamlesh Shah 301/838-9778 N. American Jain Families Assitance Program Ila Mehta 419/865-2727 Pilgrimage Dilip V. Shah 215/561-0581 Senior Citizens Kantilal Shah 949/831-8687 Scholar Visitation Nirmal Dosi 732/390-0296 Tirthodhdhar Kirit Daftary 254/776-4209 V. R. Gandhi Scholarship Fund Pravin C. Shah 516/248-8265 World Community Service Bachubhai Ajmera 301/924-8070 Bhadresh Dhila 301/589-4610 Prakash Mehta 703/318-8252 Young Jains of America (YJA) Shubhra Jain 314/345-3296 Naishadh Shah 732/651-8734 Young Jain Professional (YJP) Mona Kothari 905/820-0659 Augusta Charlotte Ft. Meyers Jacksonville Memphis. Middle Tennessee Morgantown New Orleans Orlando Palm Beach Raleigh Tampa WEST Regular Los Angles San Francisco Associate Portland Sacramento San Diego JAINA FOCUS JAINA publishes the JAINA Focus monthly newsletter for administrative purposes. It is sent to all member organizations and committee members of JAINA. All news items for publication in the JAINA Focus must be sent to the Editor by the 10 th of each month: Dilip V. Shah 1902 Chestnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19103-4678 Phone: 215/561-0581, Fax: 215/567-3146) dilipvshah@aol.com LETTERS TO THE EDITOR OF JAIN DIGEST We encourage our readers to send their questions, comments or views on current issues or concerns facing the jain community of North America to the Editor in Chief, Lata Champsee. We endeavor to publish all letters, space permitting. The JAIN DIGEST reserves the right to edit all material for clarity and/or space. All letters must include the sender's name, address and phone number to be considered for publication.
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________________ FROM THE EDITOR LETTERS TO THE EDITOR North America is very mobile society. Jai Jinendra! Govt of India Census People move hundreds or thousands of I have been Editor for the past two miles for studies, profession etc. During the years. During this period, my first priority There is a rumour afloat in Jain Samaj initial period of move, it is nice to have was to make sure that the publication came that the Government has decided to include someone to talk to. Before coming to new out on time. Thanks to invaluble help from Jains as Hindus in the next census. The place, if a person knows that he/she has all the regional editors, associate editors, the Jain Digest issue (Vol 15, No. 3) contains a someone to guide/help then it considerably Publishing Editor and JAINA Executive di reduces the stress associated with such move. statement of President Dhirajbhai urging rector, the JAIN Digest team was consisJains to write to the Census Commissioner Generally, students do not have long tently able to achieve this objective. term address during their stay at campus. on the subject. The current issue presented a new chal To keep them informed by mail about vari The information is wrong and baseless. lenge as I had to take on a dual role of ous religious activities may be difficult. To Jainism' has been one of the seven religions editor in chief and publishing editor. This reduce this possibility these students may listed in Column 8 of the Census Form was a learning experience for me, and (I be kept in touch with a designated family. since the beginning of 20th Century and The designated family will keep the students hope) a successful one. In this issue we are there is no intention or plan to change this informed about various activities of the starting a new column on book review. We practice. Center and help them in arranging rides to will try and publish reviews on books pertaining to Jainism. I had inquired earlier and have recon- and from the location of the activities. This I feel strongly that we need to look at firmed from the Commissioner that we will keep their continued exposure to Jain need have no fears on this account. This activities and to Jain community as whole. the contents of the magazine and to accom may kindly be relayed to number plish this task I need your input. Would This will increse in communication among you like JAIN Digest to infom you about organisations and executive committee the youths of various Centers and develop a sense of brotherhood among them. activities at all the Jain Centres in North members of "JAINA'. America, articles discussing Jain religion, A youth professional may have differRamesh Chandra ent problems. Safe neighborhood, good articles interpreting Jain scriptures or any Managing Editor school district, closeness to the transportaother suggestion you may have. Please feel The Times of India Group tion, affordable housing etc. Decisions are free to send your suggestion to me at New Delhi, India to be made before they pack-up and move. latachampsee@usa.net. We need to look at During this time, some feed back from a taking Jain Digest on worldwideweb to cut person familiar with the region will be of down on cost as well as make it great help. Also this initial contact may help enviornmentally friendly. I like to wish all in being introduced to various members of of you a very healthy, happy and peaceful Jain community. new millinium. In New York City area I have formed a group of families who are willing to help Lata Champsee new comers. Any Jain needing assistance in or moving to New York City, Nassau or Suffolk can take advantage of this program by contacting: Chandrakant and Bhanumati Shah 718-343-1603 or Ashok and Yamuna Jain 718-343-4677 Cover Captions: This activity does not call for financial Courtesty JAINA Calendar 2000 sacrifice. All that is required is some time 1.Taranga Hills and willingness to help fellow Jain. If mem2.Kundalpur bers in other Centers are interested then a 3.Mount Abu nationwide net work can be formed. If in4. Ranakpur Temple terested please contact at above numbers. 5. Temple of Melsittamur Chandrakant Shah, N.Y. JAIN DIGESTWINTER 1999/3 Jain Education Interational 2010_02
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________________ HEADQUARTERS NEWS..... JAINA MEETINGS AT SIDDHACHALAM JAINA Board of Directors and Executive Committee Meetings is to define the entity that will have primary responsibility to were held on October 2, 1999 at Siddhachalam. Due to lack of organize the committee and develop its working procedures. quorum for either of these meetings, it was considered inappro- () The purpose of Convention Activity Review and Advisory priate to pass any resolution. However there was a thorough and Committee is not to exercise censorship over activities that may Committee spirited discussion on all items of the agenda, and the following is planned by the JAINA Convention Board, but to make sure that the summary of the discussion: we show sensitivity to all the traditions of Jainism and Jain 1. After the Manglacharan, the minutes of the previous meet- community. JAINA President Mahendra Pandya assured that the ing were read and discussed, and it was agreed that JAINA Head- committee would exercise utmost discretion in this matter. quarters should have copies of all documents. It was concluded that JAINA and the Host Jain Center should 2. JAINA President Mahendra Pandya presented his report adopt the Guidelines as proposed, for the upcoming 2001 and the plans for the next two years: convention. An earnest and good faith adherence to the Guidelines > JAINA Book source-will involve in publication of books. by all involved will set an excellent example for future conventions, DJAINA Calendar- Calendar will be in English: show dates a 4. Representatives of YJA Naishadh Shah and Anita Shah and pictures of Jain Teerths; and important Jain religious days. made presentation about the recent and future activities. YJA will hold its Year 2000 Convention in next July. Also, YJA have planned DJAINA Day- Regional VPs will organize a JAINA Day at Midwest Regional Convention in Detroit, Michigan during the Jain Centers in their region to familiarize Centers with activities 1999 Thanksgiving Weekend; for Southwest Regional Convenplanned by JAINA. Dilip V. Shah will prepare the format. tion and Mid-Atlantic Regional Convention dates are not decided. DYJA and YJP- JAINA has nominated coordinators (Pravin 5. A letter from Mona Kothari, Chairperson of Young Jain K. Shah and Vinay K. Vakani) to facilitate interaction with Professionals requesting a status as a JAINA Committee was disthese entities and plan future activities. cussed and its acceptance was recommended. Next JAINA Convention- See discussion below. 6. A letter was sent on August 30, 1999, inviting Samarpan 3. JAINA Convention Guidelines were discussed in detail, Jain Sangh to present the report and financial account for 1999 going over each article of the Guidelines. Vinay Vakani prefaced TAINA Convention that was held in July in Philadelphia. In a the discussion explaining that JAINA had taken a pragmatic response dated September 30, 1999, Samarpan Jain Sangh inapproach in developing the Guidelines. The Guidelines provide formed that due to scheduling conflict they would not be attendsufficient flexibility in conducting the convention-related businessing the meeting. Also, they indicated that the account was not and activities, at the same time making JAINA and the Host Jain ready and it would be made available when it would be comCenter fully accountable to the Jain community. The Guidelines pleted. Both letters were discussed. No further communication August 1999 to JAINA Board of Directors, is received from Samarpan Jain Sangh. Past Presidents of JAINA, Presidents of Jain Centers, Trustees of 7. A Letter of Interest to hold 2001 JAINA Convention in JAINA Charitable Trust and Chairpersons of JAINA Committees Chicago was received from the Jain Society of Metropolitan Chifor their review and concurrence. The responses that have been cago. JAINA President Mahendra Pandya and the Executive Comreceived are generally positive, with some minor concerns about mittee will follow up on this matter. details of fund raising and handling of surplus (or deficit). 8. Reports were presented on activities planned by their comA few points were clarified during the discussion: mittees by the Chairpersons of Virchand R. Gandhi Committee (i) Both JAINA and Host Jain Center will work together in (Pravin C. Shah, NY), Tirthoddhar Committee (Kirit Daftari, TX), raising funds needed for the convention, to meet the goals set for Senior Citizens Committee (presented by Vinay Vakani for Kantilal each entity. At the conclusion of the Convention, the surplus, if Shah-CA), Pooja and Marriage Committee (Naresh Shah, NY), any, will be shared as specified in the Guidelines. If the Host Jain Membership Committee (Kamlesh Shah, MD), Media Watch Center would like to add to the reserve (seed money) for the next Committee (Sushil Jain, Washington, DC) and Pilgrimage ComConvention, the JAINA Convention Board and JAINA Executive mittee (Dilip V. Shah, PA) of JAINA. Plans for JAINA's particicommittee could contemplate it at that time. pation in Global Ahimsa Day Celebration (scheduled for Decem(ii) All committees that are to be formed under JAINA ber 31, 1999 to January 2, 2000) was discussed by Ramesh Shah Convention Board will consist of representatives from JAINA and (Ohio), who urged for participation by all Jain Centers in North the Host Jain Center. The responsibility specified in the guidelines America. Meeting ended with a recitation of prayer. (Headquarter News Continued on Page 15) 4 / JAIN DIGEST. WINTER 1999 Jain Education Interational 2010_02
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________________ HEADQUARTERS NEWS (continued) JAINA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE APPOINTS NEW DIRECTORS-AT-LARGE cess in all endeavors undertaken by them.Chairpersons have organized and in some cases are in the process of organizing) their Committees and formulating their plan for the next two years. If you are interested in participating in activities planned by any of the JAINA Committees or have suggestions, please contact the respective Chairperson. JAINA CALENDAR 2000 JAINA Executive Committee has approved the appointment of the following new Directors-at-Large: Mrs. Pramodaben Chitrabhanu, New York Mr. Shantilal B. Shah, Siddhachalam Dr. Dilip T. Shah, Oakbrook, Illinois Mr. Sharad S. Shah, Paramus, New Jersey Mr. Virendra Shah, Torrance, California Mr. Gyanchand Jain, Toronto, ONT, Canada Mr. Saurabh Dalal, Lanham, Maryland JAINA Executive Committee believes that Directors-at-large from different geographical and organizational background will further enrich our talent resource and provide the valuable input in carrying out multifarious activities planned by JAINA. Jain Digest welcomes the seven new Directors-at-Large. We hope you like the calendar 2000. It is our first attempt and will request you to please send the response form back with your contribution. This project was sponsored by Jaina Charitable Trust, Naveen Madhu Jain (los Gatos), Rajendra Meena Jain (Manhasset, N.Y.) Prem Sandhya Jain (Freemont, CA),KK Chandra Mehta(North Hills, N.Y),Mahendra Asha Pandya (NY), Girish Datta Shah,(Campwell, CA) Rajen Kalpana Shah (Saratoga, CA), Jawahar Padhma Shetty (Haworth, N.J.), Shekhar Shaila Parikh(Renaissance Diam. NY)Bipin Rekha Parikh (Des Plains, IL), Prabodh Lata Vaidya (Bolinnbrook, IL), Bhupendra Chandrika Tolia (Norwood, NJ), Shah Associates, Shanti Medical(Leonard Town, MD), Ishwar Usha Bhuta (Montogomery, AL). JAINA sincerely thanks them for their timely contribution and trust in JAINA and its projects Please contact your Regional Vice President or JAINA HQ if you need extra copies of the calendar for your family and friends. YJP JOINS THE JAINA FAMILY JAIN LEADERS HONOR CONGRSSMAN PALLONE We are delighted to report that Young Jain Professionals (YJP) have elected to join JAINA and to become its newest Committee. We look forward to work together towards a goal of united and vibrant Jain community while promoting Jainism in North America. During the JAINA Board of Directors and Executive Committee meetings at Siddhachalam on October 2, 1999, YJP's request was discussed and subsequently it has been accepted. JAINA's Executive Committee has also designated Pravin K. Shah (North Carolina) and Vinay K. Vakani (New Jersey) as coordinators for YJP and YJA. Ms. Mona Kothari (Toronto, Canada) will be the Chairper- son of the Young Jain Professionals. Other members of the YJP Committee are Jugna Shah, Saurabh Dalal, Ronak Shah, Shilpa Shah, Manav Jain and Birju Patel. Young Jains of America (YJA), the organization of younger Jains of North America, is already a part of JAINA Family. Ms. Subhra Jain (Texas) and Mr. Naishadh Shah (New Jersey) are the Chairpersons of the of the Young Jains of America. Jain Leaders from the Northeast US gathered in Edison, NJ on September 18 to honor Congressman Frank Pallone Jr. for his contribution to the Indo-American community and India. Jain leaders from New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania attended the gathering. Dr. Dhirai Shah, former IAINA president organized the event, welcomed Congressman Pallone and thanked him for his opposition to the Glenn Amendment (sanctions against India), the Dan Burton Amendments (aims to cut aid to India), and extending his support to the Pressler Amendments (barring military aid to Pakistan). Dr. Shah also praised the Congresman's efforts to raise H-1 visa quota and support for Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1998. He requested Mr.Pallone to help introduce Hindu and Jain prayers at the opening of Congressional sessions as Christian, Jewish and Muslim prayers are said. In his response, Congressman Pallone thanked the Jain Community and all those present at the event and once again made his committment to work for the issues effecting Indian-American community and India. JAINA APPOINTS COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS JAINA Executive Committee approved the appointments of the Chairpersons of various Committees organized under JAINA. The names of the Chairpersons, their address and phone numbers are listed on the inside cover of this issue of the Jain Digest. Jain Digest welcomes all Chairpersons and wishes them complete suc JAIN DIGEST- WINTER 1999 / 5 Jain Education Interational 2010_02
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________________ REGIONAL NEWS.. WEST appearance of the New Jain Bhavan. The Shah, JCNC President at 408/729-7916 Chandrakant Parekh, Regional Editor building plans are in the process of being or JBShah@electroglas.com submitted to the City of Buena Park. Los Angeles, CA Schedule of various activities and events Sacramento, CA is available at www.jainbhavan.com website. Jain Center of Southern Califor- For further information, please contact Jain Center of Greater Sacramento nia celebrated the Paryushan Mahaparva Kantibhai Shah, JCSC President at celebrated the Paryushan Mahaparva under under the direction of Pandit Dhirajlal kshah@apc.net or 949/831-8687. the direction of Saman Sthitpragya and Mehta and the Das Lakshna celebrations Ashwinipragya. Information about reguwere led by Tarlaben Doshi, editor of Jain San Francisco, CA lar activities and special events can be obPrakash. A record number of tapasvis in tained by contacting Manoj Desai, JCGS cluded 31 upvas (Surendra Jain), 30 upvas Jain Center of Northern California cel President at m.desai@pbnec.com or 916/ (Sushilaben Shah and Yogesh Shah), 21 ebrated the Paryushan and Das Lakshna 791-4111. upvas (Ashok Savla), 11 and 12 upvas (6 Mahaparva programs under the guidance people), and 8 and 9 upvas (31 adults and of Samaniji Mangal Prajna and Samaniji 2 children) and numerous others who ob- Sharda Pragya with great success. Enthusiserved upvas and ekashana. All the tapasvis astic participation and large attendance at Nearly 100 members of the Jain were presented with plaques at the Kartaki various programs were a testament to the Society of San Diego participated in a weekPoonam celebrations on 11/21. Gurudev motivating presence of Samaniji's and their end Jain camp organized at Mt. Laguna over Chitrabhanu visited the center (08/29-08/ highly spiritual sermons. On September a weekend. The activities included - games, 30) and Arunbhai and Mayuriben Zaveri 19, 1999, JCNC participated in Yuga yoga, accupresure exercises, and a talent presented a series of lectures on Preksha Pradhan Pad-abhishekh Samaroh and pre- show and ras garba. Paryushan Mahaparva Dhyan (08/29-09/03). Mr. Hermann sented a plaque bearing a Jain Bhawan sil- was celebrated for the first time in the presKuhn, President of Jain Center of Germany, ver coin to Acharaya Shri Maha Prajnaji toence of Shramaniji Madhupragnaji and was the chief guest at the Ahimsa Day cel- recognize the unique honor being bestowed Akshaypragnaji. Shramanijis presented an ebrations on October 3. Mahavir Nirvan upon him as Yuga Pradhan. inspiring nine days discourse on the life of Kalyanak and Diwali were celebrated on Nearly 1600 tapascharya have already Mahavir and other topics related to Jain November 7. Nearly 150 people partici been completed towards the goal of accom- practices and Preksha Dhyan. Parul Kothari pated in a Samuh Chopda Pujan organized plishing Akhand Tap Aradhana of 2501 completed an athai and was joined by sevat the center for the first time. Tapascharya prior to the inauguration of eral adults and children doing fasting, Over 250 children are enrolled in the the Jain Bhawan. The construction of the ekasana and aymbil. Arun and Mayuri new session of the Pathshala. A winter camp Jain Bhawan is progressing at a flying pace, Zaveri presented a series of lectures on for the Pathshala students is scheduled for both in the USA as well as in India. A record Preksha Dhyan. Tarlaben Doshi gave 12/18-12/21. Los Angeles has been selected sum of over $750,000 for the construc- weeklong lectures on Jain practices and to host the Young Jains of America 2000 tion of Jain Bhawan was pledged on a single principles. A one-day shibir led by Convention from June 30 - July 3, 2000. day at the Sapna darshan ceremony pro- Girishbhai Shah covered the topic of Nav Nearly 800 young adults are expected to gram on September 11, 1999. A total of Tatva. More than 50 members of the Los attend this popular event. Registration in- $3,750,000 have been received in pledges Angeles Sangh visited San Diego on Octoformation will be available at www.yja.org and additional pledges of $2,750,000 are ber 9. The visiting Mahila Mandal perwebsite. being solicited to complete the project. Bay formed the Snatra Puja under the leaderJain Bhavan of the New Millennium, a Area Jain Americans (BAJA) members are ship of Vasantben. The Pathshala children colorful brochure outlining the status and actively participating in the Jain Bhawan were awarded a certificate on completion progress of the Jain Bhavan expansion and Project and are involved with the construc of Level I JAINA curriculum. Nipul Shah renovation plans, was distributed during the tion, fundraising and the coordination recognized the children who assisted him Paryushan celebrations. An impressive committees. Pratishtha Mahotsava is in making the mandir displayed at the three-dimensional, scaled model of the pro- planned for July-August 2000. JAINA Convention in Philadelphia. The posed project, unveiled during the Paryshan Details of various activities and events event concluded with a Swamivatsalya. Jain program, was of great help for the mem- are available at www.jcnc.org website. For Society of San Diego participated in a bers to comprehend the concept, size and information, please contact Jitendrabhai Diwali Mela and the profits from a food 6/ JAIN DIGEST WINTER 1999 Jain Education Intemational 2010_02
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________________ stall were donated to Shri Mandir. For further information, please contact Kokila Doshi at kdoshi@acusd.edu or 858/6797645. SOUTHWEST Jadavji Kenia, Regional Editor Tulsa, OK Tulsa during November 12 to 16. She spoke very effectively to our small group. All of our members enjoyed listening to her for four days. Tulsa Jain Sangh will hold an election on December 12 to elect officers for year 2000. Tulsa Jain Sangh contact is Kanti Shah 918/369-3163, KANARU @aol.com Dallas, Texas Among the dignitaries since the last report, on Sep. 25-26 we had Professor Dr. Sagarmal Jain who discussed a need to modernize Jainism, moving from rituals and traditions to being practical and rational. Paryushan Parva was observed with great enthusiasm from September 7th-14th with daily Pratikraman and Tapasya for eight days and with a continuation of Das Lakshna Mahaparva until September 24th. During Das Lakshna there were pujas in the mornings and Swadhyay sessions in the evening. The Mahaparvas were concluded with Ratna Traya Puja and Kshmavani Puja during the weekend (Sep 25-26) at the Jain Center in Richardson, Texas. Swapna darshan ceremony was held in which the Jain Youth Group and younger children Phoenix, AZ participated as usual. Younger Youth Group presented slides covering Bhagwan Mahavir's life. The older group presented a skit depicting Bhagwan Mahavir's ascent from 1st Guna Sthanak to the 14th. Samvatsari Pratikraman was held at two locations and attended by over 200 people. Pratikraman in English was conducted on September 5th. The following Tapasvis did atthai and major Tapasya during Paryushan: Damjibhai Shah (9 upvas), Usha Daftary (Chauvihari atthai), Ashok Daftary, Gautam Daftary, Kirit Daftary (Waco, TX) , Pramila Daftary (Waco, TX), Veena Daulat, Mamta Mehta, Jayshree Parekh, Jitendra Ravani, Bina Shah, Nalini Shah and Usha Shah - all regular atthais. Ramaben Daftary did 6 upvas. Our con gratulations to all the Tapasvis and 2010_02 Tulsa Jain sangh had very good Paryushan Parva and celebrated Mahavir Swami's Birth by Swapan darshan. On Samvatsari, youth outnumbered adults in upvas, ekasana and beasana. Our Derasar and Jain center project is moving well. We are expecting to receive building permit by end of November 1999. We are hoping to start construction by April of 2000. We need lots of support from our Jain community in USA. For more information please contact Kanti Shah at (918) 3693163. Our young group will co-sponsor south region Dallas/Tulsa youth convention in Dallas during Thanksgiving. Tulsa youth is responsible for schedule, programs and speakers. They have worked very hard and all participants deserve a big hand from all of us. Tarlaben Doshi, a Jain scholar visited Michchhami Dukkadam to all local mem- Center of Greater Phoenix E mail address sive on young minds observing Jiv-Daya in practice along with some learning as to how to help and take care of speechless yet needy animals. JSNT contact is our current president Sudhir Mehta at 972/612-1144 or current vice president Kirit Daftary at 254/ 776-4209.. bers as well as Jain Digest readers everywhere. Diwali celebrations was held on November 7, 1999. Mahavir Nirvan Puja was followed by a Jain song from young children and a couple of Jain games - Who wants to be a Tirthankar and Family Feud between Jain and Shah Families performed by the Jain Youth Group. These games were very informative for the general audience. Jain Youth Group (along with youth from Tulsa & Houston) is hosting a Southwest Region Youth Convention during the Thanksgiving Weekend. About 50-60 youth are expected to participate. Earlier on October 10th, youth along with some adults visited an animal sanctuary personally managed and funded by our own members Bonny and Ratilal Shah near Dallas. They have over 200 animals ranging from birds and ducks to goats, llamas, donkeys, pigs and horses. This visit was truly impres The Jain Center of Greater Phoenix had good Paryushana Mahaparva and is aware of the following tapsayas: Bipinbhai Patel eight upvas, Ushma Bavishi seven upvas and one ekasana, Jainy Savla (14 years old) 30 ekasana, 15 beasana and one upvas, Bina Desai eight beasana, Kiritbhai Gosalia six upvas. There were several young jains who followed fasting rituals during Paryushans ranging from several upvas to a day of beasana. They are Prayash Gandhi, Jinesh Savla, Milee Gosalia, Meera Gosalia, Abha Gosalia, and Mital Gosalia. The Swamivatsalya was celebrated on October 3, at Dobson Ranch followed by general body meeting. Jain center thanks the event coordinator Nita and Dilit Sheth. Pathshala kids are also participating in community volunteering events on a routine basis. Jain is jain_phoenix@hotmail.com and contact is Bhakti Gosalia at (623) 561-2148). Houston, TX Dr. Sagarmal Jain's scholarly teachings of Jin Vani during the Paryushan and Das Lakshana Mahaparva provided pious perspective of our religion. He let us dive into deep detailed analytical imperative and implicative understandings of the Samyak Gyan, Darshan, Charitra, Tap, Karma Bandh, Karma Nirjara and Moksha in real life. Dr. Jain explained and emphasized importance of begining, continuing and working for finishing journey towards Mukti regardless of variations in ways and means adopted. He sailed us through quick and brief glance at the history of our Jain religion. We along with our youngsters ac JAIN DIGEST WINTER 1999/7
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________________ REGIONAL NEWS (continued) tively celebrated the Parva by participating in Darshan, Puja, Angi, Pratikraman, Vyakhyan, Pachchakhan, Ekasana, and Upvas. 34 youngsters (18 and less) did various combinations of Upvas and Ekasana. Six adults did 6 to 11 upvas. Vajubhai Ajmera of Rajkot visited us from October 4th through 7th. He excellently sailed us through the art of recognizing, understand ing and knowing the pure form of Atma based on Pujya Kanji swami's discourses. Vidushi Tarlaben Doshi visited us during Diwali time. Her lectures were held on November 4th thru Nov 11th. We cel ebrated Diwali on Sunday Nov 7th. The program included Snatra Puja, Tarlaben's lecture, Mahavirswami jaap, Ghantakaran Mahavir Jaap. On November 20 and 21st Tirthankar of Mahavidehkshetra shri Simandharswami maha puja and Shrimad Rajchandra Janma Jayanti celebration under expert guidance of shri Babubhai Kadiwala. November 25th: Derasar Pratishtha fourth anniversary celebration under direction of Babubhai Kadiwala. Our Jain fellowship kids will be attending a youth convention which is going to be held in Dallas during the Thanksgiving holidays. Jain Society of Houston contact is Parimal Desai at 281-859-3661 Perry.Desai@Jacobs.com SOUTHEAST Surendra Shah, Regional Editor Atlanta, GA The last three months have been filled with various activities for the Jain Society of Atlanta. The biennial convention in Philadelphia provided the society the opportunity for the visit from several scholars and sadhvijis. The scholars included Arun and Mayuri Zaveri, Dr. Kalyanji Gangwal. Sunandaben Vora, Taralaben Doshiand Kiranbhai Parekh. In their unique style, they explained the principlesof Jainism that would help practice in our everyday life. This set thestage for the Paryusarna 8/JAIN DIGEST. WINTER 1999 2010_02 Parva.Shatavadhani (who can listen and Charlotte, N. C. recall one hundred items) Sadhviji Shri Shubhamji graced the Paryushana parva. Sadhviji explained the three jewels of Jainism, namely, Samyak Darsan, Gyan, and Charitraya. A Panchkalyanak Puja was also performed during the celebration. Gheeboli generated enthusiasm among youth and adults. This resulted in donations in excess of $100,000, which brings the goal of Jain center building closer to reality. Vinod and Shushma Jain provided the dinner for Mahavir Jayanti celebration. This year saw the largest number of tapasvis. Smitaben Palavia extended her atthai from Paryushan to Daslakshna for a total of 18 days of fast. A number of athai tapasvi's included Pankaj Palavia, Nilesh and Nanda Chheda, Shirish Gandhi, Purnima Parekh, Kumudben Rambhiya, Amita Shah, Bharati Shah, Bhaskar Shah, Jatin Shah, Jiten Shah, Neela Shah, Niru Shah, Payal Shah and Pulin Sheth. Madhuben Sheth, president of the society has used her enthusiasm and energy and made this year filled with variety of activities with efforts of officeholders and volunteers. Raleigh, NC Jain Study center members meet regularly for swadhyaya. Bharatiben Mithani observed Khir Samudra and Poonam Mitha fasted for eight days during paryushana. Other tapasvis had Ekasanas, Ayambils, and multiple fasts. Jain Study Center of North Carolina held elections for the year 2000 on November 7, 1999. The following officers were elected: President: Madhuker A. Mehta VP and Treasurer: Sunil Jain Hitesh Desai Secretary: Food Coordinator: Sumitra Jain Youth Coordinator: Pragna Dabdhawala This year our community was very fortunate to have scholar Diptiben Shah from Bombay for the entire Paryushan Parva. She uses charts and pictures to communicate in a modern style, which made her talk interesting and convincing. One of her discourses was the virtual pilgrimage of The Shatrunjay Mahatirtha. This year athai tapasya by Jain Youth Vijay Shah and Punam Mutha, Sudhaben Gandhi observed 10 upvas. She inspires her friends through such high order feats. Other Tapasya included dharma chakra tap, shatkaya tap, several athams, One and Two upvas, ekashana and ayambil, etc., for the entire 8 days of Paryushan. Diptiben introduced a unique tradition of Navakar Mantra Jap Boli for Swapna Darshan on the Lord Mahavir Janam Day. She explained the meaning of each Swapna and as the program was going on the Boli concept was getting stronger and stronger. The final count was 11,296 Navakar malas or 1,219,968 Navakar Jap to be completed in the next 6 months. The boli participants were adults as well as youth. Following the Jain principal of non-possessiveness, Navakar Boli is a new and welcome step cheered by all. Diptiben brought with her the rare Kalpa Sutra written in gold. Swadharmis did Gnan Puja. Diptiben continued and reinforced vowing 11 Navakar Jap Mala each, for the Gnan Puja. This year we went to Raleigh, NC, Washington, DC and Richmond, VA. We received extremely warm, kind and very generous welcome and hospitality from the respective local Sanghs for which Charlotte Sangh is very grateful. This year we have been blessed with the visits of several Jain scholars. Among these are Shri Manak Muniji, Rajni Bhai Shah, Diptiben Shah, Chandrakant Bhai Mehta and Pandit Abhay Kumarji Shastri. For information call Padam Dhakad Phone: 704-542-1765 or 704-543-6200 Fax 704-542-3717 email: dhakad@aol.com
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________________ Orlando, FL The Jain Society of Central Florida, Orlando held Paryushan and celebrated Mahavir Jayanti on September 12th. More than 150 people from all around Florida attended the event. On the agenda was stavans singing and the cultural program presented by children. It was followed by gheeboli of swapans and dinner. More than $13,000 was collected towards the Jain a temple to be built in Orlando area. One of its members, Mrs. Darshana completed sixteen upvas, Mrs. Rita Parikh and Mr. Dipak Shah completed atthais and Mr. Shashikant Shah did five upvas. NORTHEAST Dinesh Chheda, Regional Editor Rochester, NY Jain Society of Rochester invited Pravin C. Shah of North Carolina and organized a workshop on JAINISM on Nov.6 and 7, 1999. About 90% of the members of the Jain Society of Rochester enthusiastically attended the workshop. This was the first time in its history of 20 years that an event of this type was held and more importantly the participants showed such a high level of interest on a serious topic. Most attendees felt that although they had picked up basics of JAINISM in bits and pieces in the past, the workshop offered them an excellent vehicle to study it in an orderly fashion. The talk on some of the major religions of the world was also very informative and shed a different light on our views of other faiths. About half a dozen mature youths also came to this workshop and went away very satisfied with what they learned. Our problems stem from ignorance and this kind of workshop is a very effective step in the right direction. For questions, please call Anop Vora, 716-473-9290. 2010_02 EssexFalls, N.J. A total of about two months of Swadhayay lectures were conducted by Shri Kiranbhai Parekh, Smt. Diptiben Shah, Cherry Hill, NJ Smt. Sunandaben Vohra and Smt. Tarlaben Doshi. Arunbhai and Mayuriben Zaveri gave discourses on Preksha Meditation and showed how our religion is also connected to science. Paryushana Mahaparva was celebrated with vigor and enthusiasm under the auspicious presence and everyday vyakhanmala of Shri Kumarpal Desai. Jain Center had a record number of Tapasyas this year, Tapasvis were felicitated on September 19, 1999 at the derasar. This year aayambil oli had two weekends, there were about 75 to 85 people each day doing aayambil at derasar. Diwali was celebrated on Sunday November 7th, with Mahavirswami Panchkalyanak Pooja followed by a procession from Derasar. About 300 people walked in the half mile procession along with a small band and children on ponies. The day ended with a bhavna at night. Thirty six hours of continuous Navkar Mantra JAP were held at our derasar from the evening on Diwali day to the morning of New Year to celebrates the 72hour Akhand Deshana (message) given by Bhagwan Mahavir before his Nirvana. The New Year festivities began on November 9th, with Mangalik followed by Snatra Pooja and Bhavna. More than 800 people took part in atleast one of the activities of the day. Mr. Diwakar Shah has taken over the Presidency of Jain Center of New Jersey till the end of the present Executive term expiring in December 2000. A Health Fair was organized for Sunday November 21, 1999. More than 15 doctors volunteered their services for EKG, Blood Tests, Dental Care, Diet guidelines, children's health, etc. Dedicated members keep the Derasar open on every Sunday in the afternoon. If you are visiting New Jersey / New York City area and would like to attend a pro gram, please call Mr. Diwakar Shah at 908 -754-0891. Sangh celebrated "Tapasvi Bahuman' on September 19th. Sundanaben Vohra ha accepted our invitation to celebrate Paryushna Mahaparva with us during the year 2000. Merit Scholarship awards ($500 each) were given to Ketan Gala and Nee K. Shah. The Jain Sangh is nonprofit orga nization. Dehrasar is located at 3401 Cooper Ave. Pennsukan, NJ 08109. Dehrasat phone: (609) 662-1076. For further information please contact current President Kirti Shah (609) 983-2974. Washington, DC The Jain Society celebrated the 10th anniversary of its Temple on Sunday, August 22,1999. As part of the celebration, a Snatra Puja and 18 Abhishek were performed by Mulchand Talakshi Gala of New Jersey. In all 24 families participated in the performance of the Puja and Abhishek. Tarlaben Doshi from Bombay helped us to celebrate the Paryushan Parva from September 7 to 14, with a series of lectures, Swapna ceremony, and samwantsari pratrikraman. Swapna ceremony attended by about 600 members was held on Sept 11th. Samvatsari Pratrikraman was held on Sept 14th, followed by Raja Kumarpal Aarti and Sanjji to felicitate the Tapasvis. There were 7- Atthai (8 Upvas). Vajubhai Ajmera from Rajkot, Gujarat helped us to celebrate the Das Lakshana Parva from September 14 to 24, with a series of lectures and pratrikraman. The Pratrikraman was held on Sept 24th. Kamini Shah did 10 Upvas. Everything about New York is big. When they decide to do anything, it has to be the biggest. So when the Jain Center of America decided to visit our Temple they had to make it a very big occasion and to JAIN DIGEST WINTER 1999/9
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________________ REGIONAL NEWS (continued) break all the previously held records for the Jains in North America. They came in 8 buses, the 400 members of the Jain Center of America, came to visit our Temple on Sunday, September 26th. They were greeted by our President Pravin Dand and about 100 other members of the Society. A Snatra Pooja was performed in the presence of about 500 members followed by a ceremony to felicitate the visiting mem bers. On Saturday, October 9th about 150 members of the Kutchhi Dasa Oswal families living in the NorthEastern United States came to visit the Temple and to attend the Kshamapana program organized by Kutchhi Dasa families from Maryland and Virginia. MIDWEST Manubhai Doshi, Regional Editor Chicago, IL The Paryushan Parva was celebrated under the guidance of Kiran Parikh of Bombay from September 7th to 14th. Discourses and Bhavana were held on almost all the days. The display of Mother's dreams was organized on the September 11th which was attended by more than 1000 people. Samvatsari Pratikraman in Gujarati as well as English was performed on the last day. More than 1000 people took advantage of that. Many people observed different austerities during the Parva. There were about 55 Atthai and one girl observed 11 days' fast. All of them were honored on Septem ber 26th. Daslakshna Parva was celebrated from 15th to 24th September under the guidance of Pandit Abhaykumar Jain. He conducted Puja and gave discourses on all the days. Many people took advantage of arrangements for aayambils on October 16th, 17th, 23rd and 24th Chicago Chapter of Jain Social Group organized a Diwali function on 23rd Octo 10 / JAIN DIGEST. WINTER 1999 2010_02 ber. About 95% of its members were present on that occasion. Manubhai Doshi gave a talk on Jainism at the Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago on October 24th morning. Atmasiddhishastra Jayanti and the birth day of Laghurajswami were also celebrated on October 24th. The devotees of Shrimad Rajchandra enthusiastically took part therein. Lord Mahavir's Nirvan day was celebrated on November 7th. A drama titled Jainism in the 21st century in America was presented on that occasion by the students of the religious classes. The performance was excellent and was well received. Vikram Samvat new year was celebrated on November 9th with Snatrapuja, Bhavana etc. Detroit, MI The health fair was organized in August when arrangements were made for checking blood sugar, cholesterol, bone density and heart. About 100 people took advantage of those facilities. Paryushan Parva was celebrated from September 7th to 14th under the guidance of Chirabhanuji with enthusiasm. Snatrapuja, Bhavana, Pratikraman and discourses were conducted on all those days. Swapna ceremony was attended by more than 800 people. Chitrabhanuji and Hermann Kuhn of Germany gave a talk to the youths on September 12th, which was attended by about 250 persons. More than 75 people observed different austerities in clusive of atthai and 12 days' fasts during the Parva. Das Lakshna Parva also was cel ebrated from September 15th to 24th A fund raising program called Sur Sadhana was organized on October 1st. Ahimsa day was observed on October 3rd. About 80 people observed Ayambil on that day. St. Louis, MI Paryushan Parva was celebrated from September 7th to 14th in the presence of Manubhai Doshi of Chicago. He gave discourses on various aspects of Jainism. He also conducted two sessions on meditation and one for Swadhyay. Display of swapna was held on September 12th and every one, inclusive of youths, enthusiastically participated therein. Pratikraman was performed on the first and the last day. Diwali and Mahavir Nirvan day was celebrated during the third weekend of November in the presence of Samani Madhuprajna and Akshayprajna. Cincinnati/Dayton, OH Jain Center of Cincinnati / Dayton organized a membership appreciation day for the first time instead of picnic. This program, which involved games, food and outdoors theatre, was attended by more than 100 members. The Jain community also recognized graduating youths. This summer center was busy with visits from Gurudev Roop Chandji Maharaj during Aug 12-18; Shri Amrendramuni was present during Paryushan Parva. On Samvatsari Day, English Pratikraman for youth in addition to traditional Pratikraman was held. On October 3rd, Jain center of Cincinnati/Dayton celebrated Ahimsa Day and about 150 individuals attended the program. We had five panels (from Ohio area) represented by Dr. Martin Luther King's family members, St. Francis of Assisi Church members, Ahimsa Organization members, students from the University of Dayton, Youth members, Shri Jayantibhai Shah, Dr. Balbhadra and Mr. Edward Klaben of the Jewish Federation. Each panel was asked to address two questions: 1) current initiatives within organization to promote non-violence and 2) future plan to promote Ahimsa in the next millennium. Dr. Surendra Singhvi was the moderator and facilitated the entire program. All 15 panelists were given Jain books provided by JAINA. Ahimsa Day was celebrated in numerous Jain Centers and at Siddhachalam.
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________________ JAINA initiated this annual event in Oc- lectures. The celebrations were concluded Acharya Sushil Kumarji's birthday at the tober 1992 to promote non-violence prin- with Kalash and Jal Yatra ceremony on Sat ny on Sat Jain Centre in Toronto. Muniji Amrendra ciple in North America. It is celebrated urday, Sept.25 Maharaj presided over the celebration and on the first Sunday in October to coincide Manek Muniji also spoke on the occasion. The members of Jain Sangh of Toronto with Mahatma Gandhi's birthday. amongst other South Asians in Ontario The annual Child Haven dinner, preOn November 6, the center celebrated opened up their hearts and pocket book to dominantly supported by members of a Mahavir Nirvan Day. The program in- establish the Christopher Ondaatje South Toronto Jain Society, and in aid of desticluded bhavna, aarti, deevo, rangoli com- Asian Gallery at Royal Ontario Museum cute children in India and Nepal, was held tute petition, sangeet sandhya by Khelaiya in the Fall 2000. This permanent South on on 2nd October. The evening's program Group from India, raas/garba and dinner. Asian gallery at ROM will acquire artifacts raised just over 10,000 after expenses. The General Body elected new executive in the realm of South Asian fine and deco- This year's invited speaker for Roop Lal committee for year 2000: rative arts, host exhibitions, facilitate lec- Jain annual lacture in Jain studies was Ms Geeta Pancholy, President tures, encourage research projects and W.J.Johnson, author of Harmless Souls. He Mr. Bipin Shah, Sr. Vice-President provideongoing South Asian programming presented his paper entitled "Knowledge Ms. Soha Shah, Secretary, Mrs. Sumi The annual Jain Society picnic was or and Practice in Jain Religious Tradition" and Chordia, Treasurer, Mrs. Ila Punatar, V.P. ganized on August 22ed and 500 members shared his distinctive knowledge and perMembership, Mr. Vijay Doshi, V.P. Facil participated in this most enjoyable event. spective with a substantial audience at the ity, Ms. Jigna Shah, V.P. Youth, Mrs. Pushpa The first Jain Society picnic 25 years ago University of Toronto. Shah, V.P. Education, Mrs. Vilas Shah, V.P. was held on Centre Island and to com Mr. Keshav Chandaria, a senior Hospitality, Mr. Chandu Shah & Dr. memorate that fist event, the organizers trustee of our Society and well respected Surendra Singhvi JAINA Director traced the steps back to the same island. industrialist and philanthropist was recogThe centre has published English The first 3 hours were spent on the boat nized by the Government of Ontario for Pratikraman booklet for youth. This 24 cruise on Lake Ontario and the members his lifelong services. The Lieutenant Govpage booklet can be ordered by calling Dr. were entertained with food, games, dandva ernor of Ontario, Hilary M. Weston inSinghvi at 937-885-7414 raas. Later people disembarked on Centre vested Mr. Chandaria with Order of island and treated to full dinner and more Ontario on October 25th at Queen's Park. games and fun. All the participants had This is a great honour for all Jains and CANADA nothing but praise for the young organiz Kesubhai deserves hearty congratulations Dr. Mahendra Mehta, Regional Editor ers of the event. from all of us. The 14th Annual International Mahavir Dr. Chandrakant P.Shah, a mem Jain Mission of Canada Jain Arhum Yoga ber of Toronto Jain Community and ProToronto, Ontario Retreat at Loretto Centre in Niagara Falls fessor, Department of Public Health Sci was held in August and was once again a ences at the University of Toronto received The Jain Sangh of Toronto celebrated great success. The main theme of this year's a special recognition from the Aboriginal the greatest of all events on Jain Calendar retreat was History of Jainism. The partici- Communities at the University of Toronto the Paryushan Parva at the Jain Centre. We pants had the pleasure of listening to Pro- on October 19th, 1999. They accorded their had three guests from India who helped in fessor Padmanabh Jaini of University of highest honour in the form of "Eagle celebrating this year's Paryushan. The morn- California at Berkely spoke on wide range feather ing program included Snatra Pooja, recita- cita- of subiects includi of subjects including history of Jainism. yrs has been active in provision of medical tion of Bhaktamar Stotra, Ratnakar Pachisi, Among other speakerswere Dr.J. SC i, Among other speakerswere Dr.). services in Ontario to very remote and Arihant Vandanavali and musical Bhav O'Connell, Dr. Vastupal Parikh, northern First Nations Communities and O'Connell.Dr. Vastupal Parikh. nor Yatra of Jain Tirths in India. The Mr.KirtiShah, Mr. Michael Radford, Ms. Tina- urban Aboriginal people. Pratikraman were performed every morn- Marie Jones and Ms.Anne Valley. Thirty The Association of Women in ing and evening and for youths, it was in in two participants enioved the invigorating two participants enjoyed the invigorating Canada(AWIC) has published a beautiful Ca English. We all experienced spiritual discussions and were able to take advantage calendar for 2000 entitled A Woman's upliftment, seek atonement and tried to of the location, by going for evening and Touch' with 12 paintings which include forgive and seek forgiveness. early morning walks to the Niagara Falls. work of two Jain artists 'The Veiled Beauty The Das Lakshana Parva was cel- On Sunday Tune 13th 1990 the by Jayshree Khimasia and 'Gitanjali ebrated with morning poojas and evening IMIMC organized the commemoration of M JAIN DIGESTWINTER 1999/11 2010_02
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________________ JAINISM: BRIDGE TO TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY By Navin S.Dedhia, San Jose CA violence. Introduction: The Sanskrit word for religion is DHARM which literally means nature of a thing. Another meaning of the word DHARM is duty. Religion teaches us to understand and realize our true nature. It also reminds us of our duties. Religion is the means for advancement of an individual leading to utmost happiness. Religion teaches us to deal with distress, pain and suf- fering. Religion is essentially the science of living - it supports and sustains life. These features are common to all religions while there are other characteristics that distinguish Jainism from other religions. These unique and distinguishing features of Jainism are rationalism and relativism. The latter is also known as the prin- ciple of multiplicity of viewpoints. Jainism is not about super- natural phenomena or miracles. It does not ask us to accept any concept or precept blindly. It teaches us to find practical solutions by examining each situation, problem or concept from a variety of viewpoints. We should also look at a given concept or situation from others' viewpoint. Another important teaching of Jainism is that we need not be concerned about what others do. We should not follow others blindly. We should think for ourselves and de- termine what will be good for us, for others and for our environ- ment. We should practice virtues such as nonviolence, truth and non-possessiveness for our own well-being. This is the way to improve the self, the society and the world. Facts of Life Of Today And Tomorrow: Jainism says that everything changes according to substance (DRAVYA), place (KSHETRA), time (KAAL) and essence (BHAAV). Our lives are no exception. Bhagwan Mahavir reformed and reinstated the Jain religious order more than 2500 years ago. Human nature has re- mained essentially unchanged over the centuries but significant changes have occurred in people's notions and attitudes. Most of these changes have resulted from advances in science and technol- ogy. Freedom in all spheres of life, free enterprise and competition are the order of the day. These human enterprises have serious adverse impact on the environment also. A rampant greed, pursuit of materialism and sensual pleasures have resulted in enormous mental and physical stress in life. These have led to conduct which borders on immorality. Serious personal and social problems have permeated our lives. Individuals, social institutions and governments are trying to cope with them by concentrating on law enforcement. It seems that these problems will persist in the twenty-first century as well. Can the teachings of Jainism help us Jains to cope with the situation? How can we Jains address these problems in the light of the principles of Jainism? Principles of Jainism: Jainism is an ancient religion which flourished in India long before the advent of other cultures. Jainism ism has no beginning and no end. According to Jainism, all living beings have souls and all souls are potentially equal. Jainism emphasizes supreme nonviolence Jains believe that God did not create the universe. God does not maintain or destroy the universe. Jains believe that each soul is capable of attaining the ultimate status - that of SIDDHA (a liberated soul). They also believe that God or SIDDHAs do not reward or punish the living beings of the universe. One can improve one's life through self-endeavor. Each individual is responsible for his/her plight. As all living beings are equal and at the same base, Jains respect all life. Living beings depend on each other and on nature - their environment. Each species has its unique place and role in the scheme of things. Thus all life is sacred. Living in peace and harmony with all living beings and with nature is essential for the well-being of all. Several Jain practices such as the vow of non-possessiveness (APARIGRAH) and the vow of avoiding non-essential activities and endeavors (ANARTHADAND VRAT) help us preserve the environment. This is the basis for the Jain teaching of nonviolence. Jainism teaches us not to discriminate on the basis of color, ethnicity, social status, and political or religious persuasion. Bhagwan Mahavir established the four-fold religious/social order of monks (SADHUS), nuns (SADHVIS), laymen (SHRAAVAK) and laywomen (SHRAAVIKAs). Thus men and women have equal status in Jainism. Jains believe that hatred and discrimination hurt the feelings of individuals including those of the self. This kind of violence should be avoided. In addition to nonviolence, Jainism teaches us truth, nonstealing, partial or total celibacy and non-possessiveness. In fact, according to the principles of Jainism, virtues like truth and nonpossessiveness are part of our practice of nonviolence. Untruth, stealing, circumventing the laws of the land, indulging in relationships out of wedlock, and amassing wealth by exploiting others without any regard to the impact of one's actions on the rest of the humanity and on the environment is against the teachings of Jainism. Practice of nonviolence, truth, non-stealing, celibacy and non-possessiveness constitutes genuine charity, compassion, fairness, concern for living beings and preservation of ecosystems. The Jain practice of vegetarianism not only helps us to avoid unnecessary violence but it is also a healthy way of living. Other Jain practices reflect sound principles of hygiene. Observing various types of partial or total fasts (a kind of external penance in Jainism) helps us to maintain good health. Practices like eating before sunset and drinking filtered and/or boiled water are also beneficial for health. Drinking and drug abuse involve selfdirected violence. So we Jains do not indulge in them. Jainism says that all acts of violence such as hatred, greed and deception, hurt the feelings of individual who commits such acts. These activities on our part lead to stress which, in turn, may lead to physical ailments. Therefore, to attain peace and harmony 27 JAIN DIGEST- WINTER 1999 Jain Education Interational 2010_02
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________________ in life, we Jains practice the vows of nonviolence, truth, non-stealing, cleibacy and non-possessiveness. We Jains understand the nature of reality and calmly accept success, disappointment and adversity. The Jain practices of prayer, worship, introspection and forgiveness help us in this respect. They help us in avoiding and relieving stress. Jains In The Twenty-first Centry: These days, all Jains have used the opportunities for education. We Jains are intelligent and educated. We understand the basic tenets and unique features of our religion. We are also aware of the impact of scientific and technological advances on individuals and society. We should look for solutions to our day-to-day problems in the light of the principles of Jainism - rational perception, rational knowledge and rational conduct, and the principle of multiplicity of viewpoints. We should realize that the basic tenets of Jainism are eternal. They can not be modified regardless of the norms and attitudes of others around us. However, we can reform and refine our religious practices. We should maintain purity of mind, speech and body. We should minimize environmental pollution. We should practice nonviolence - the supreme religion. These practices will help us to maintain our physical and mental health. These will give us peace of mind. Jainism is a rational religion. It teaches us not to adopt blindly what other individuals, religious groups and communities without examining them carefully. We have to first examine the impact of any custom and tradition on our lives and on the lives of others around us. Thus we should not pick up things such as drinking, drug abuse, gambling, dating and divorce because they involve considerable mental violence and may lead to physical violence as well. We need not adopt such things just because others do them. We need not indulge in pursuit of materialism without thinking of the effect of our actions on other individuals, society and humanity at large. This will help us in maintaining our identity as Jains. In conclusion, practicing the teachings of Jainism will bring peace and happiness in our lives for all times to come. (reprinted with permission from Jain Study Circular(published by Jain Study Circle, Inc.) July 1998. issue. COMMITTEE NEWS.. KER YOUNG JAIN PROFESSIONAL(YJP) Young Jain Professionals was organized to increase the awareness and understanding of Jain principles and heritage by promoting networking among Jain professionals. Our target age group is 24 - 39 years old. Our objectives include: A. To raise awareness of Jain principles through educational and interactive discussions B. To promote the application of Jainism in the professional and social aspects of our lives C. To engage in community service at our events and promote personal involvement in community service D. To provide mentorship to younger Jains, and collaborate with Young Jains of America (YJA) and other Jain organizations to promote Jain ideals Previous events include conferences in Miami and on a cruise ship to Nassau. In addition, we organized the educational programming for the 24 - 39 year old age bracket of JAINA 99 attendees. Membership: We now have an Executive Board, are a committee under JAINA, and are ready to have an official membership base. Benefits of membership include: receiving priority notice of events, being able to register for events before non-members, and eligibility to vote in YJP elections. Next Event: Our next conference is scheduled for March 2000 in Arizona. To receive a membership registration form or register for the next event, please send an email to shilpashah@attglobal.net We always have a need for more volunteers, particularly as we get closer to an event, so if you are interested in helping out, please contact the Director of the committee you are interested in. The YJP Board: Mona Kothari (905) 820-0569 monesk@yahoo.com Chairperson Jugna Shah (202) 797 1930 jjshah@kpmg.com Vice-Chairperson/Communications Director Saurabh Dalal (301) 577-5215 sdalal@erols.com Activities Director Ronak Shah (651) 636-9833 rshahcpa@aol.com Finance Director Shilpa Shah (404)321-4637. shilpashah@attglobal.net Membership Director Manav Jain (714) 633-3609 manavj@yahoo.com Operations Director Birju Patel (416) 494-0060 yipbirjupatel@yahoo.com Web Strategy Director JAIN DIGEST- WINTER 1999 / 13 Jain Education Interational 2010_02
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________________ COMMITTEE NEWS.. VIRCHAND RAGHAVJI GANDHI SCHOLARSHIP FUND VR Gandhi Scholarship Fund was established by JAINA fall of 1997. This scholarship is awarded to bright and needy students studying Jainism and/or pursuing doctorate and/or research studies in fields like Jain philosophy, Jain literature, Jain scriptures, Jain temple architecture etc. at recognized University or Institution. Late Shri Virchand Raghavji Gandhi,a renowned Barrister At Law, a great exponent of Indian culture, a philosopher, a great Jain scholar, patriot and humanitarian represented Jainism in the first Parliament of world religions at Chicago in 1893. To commemorate the centenary of that great event, Chicago Jain center had installed his statue at the temple in 1995. He was responsible in closing down slaughter house at Sametshikhar, abolishing poll tax on Jain pilgrims at Shatrunjaya and sending money and ship load of grain to India from U.S.A. in worst famine of 1897. The year 2001 is VRG's death centenary year. We have contacted several institutions for disbursement of this scholarship. But because of lack of enough funds, we have not been able to start it yet. We are in process of starting it early in the next year. We are sure that, our Jain community will whole-heartedly support this project, which is designed to spread Lord Mahavir's message of universal love and nonviolence, his only life time goal. No stone is to be left unturned to make the whole world aware of V.R.G.'S mission, but with the joint efforts of all of us. Your generous, tax-deducible contribution to this worthy cause will be greatly appreciated. Please make your check payable to JAINA, indicate in the memo VRG Scholarship Fund and mail to: Mr. Anop Vora Treasurer, JAINA One Robin Drive, Rochester, N.Y. 14618 A list of donors since last publication in Jain Digest is as follows: Ram Goda & family Navin & Ranjan Shah Jain Society of N. Texas St. Paul, MN Dix Hills, NY Dallas TX 14/JAIN DIGEST WINTER 1999 2010_02 $1,000 $ 100 $ 500 Leena Shah For more information and suggestions, please contact any of the following members of Shri V. R. Gandhi Scholarship Committee: Pravin C. Shah 516-248-8265 610-398-8706 Anop R. Vora 716-473-9290 Ashok B.Shah 718-776-3770 Pravin K. Shah 919-469-0956 Surendra Gandhi 718-897-6972 Kanti D. Mepani 203-921-1950 Kishor J. Mehta 516-747-0469 Vinay Vakani 201-967-9344 Chandrakant Shah 718-343-1603 WORLD COMMUNITY SERVICE (W.C.S.) of Federation of JAINA has launched an Orissa Cyclone Relief Fund to raise the fund to help the victims of the worst cyclone in India in this century. The cyclone hit the east coast of Orissa on October 29,1999. Thousands of people are feared killed and about 2 Million people left homeless. More than 200,000 houses have been destroyed. Waves as high as 30 feet lashed the coast. This is a national calamity. Many areas are completely cut off with other parts of the state. The victims need the basic necessities like Water, food, clothes and shelter. JAINA and W.C.S. have decided to work with Diwaliben Mohanlal Mehta Charitable Trust Bombay, India to assist the victims. We are ready to send one container of the used clothes to Bombay to be distributed by D.M.Mehta Charitable Trust. Previously with your support we had raised $100,000.00 for Latur Earth Quake Fund, more than $70,000.00 for Kutch Cyclone Relief Fund and then for Kosovo and Turkey Earthquake fund. This time we request you to help generously for this humane cause. Your donation is tax deductible. So please contribute We are the followers of "Jiv Daya" and "Ahimsa" and it is our generously for this noble cause. moral obligation to respond to this cause and help these victims of the Cyclone. Your contribution will make a remarkable difference in the lives of these unfortunate people. We request you to send your tax deductible (in USA) contribution payable to JAINA on receipt of this appeal and mail to: Bachubhai S. Ajmera 521, Avenleigh Court, Ashton, MD 20861-3636 JAINA DONATES "PHACO EMULSIFICATION" MACHINES TO VEERAYATAN, INDIA The World Community Service donated two Phaco Emulsification machines to "VEERAYATAN" Rajgir, Bihar to help fight the blindness affecting every one out of ten persons in the state of Bihar. Veerayatan run by Jain Sadhvis is well known for its humanitarian activities. Through the Eye Hospital, Orthopedic, Polio, Artificial limb and out patient medical clinics, Veerayatan serves the poor and indigent people of Bihar. So far, 100,000 Eye operations have been performed entirely free of charge on any needy person, irrespective of his or her religion, race, color, or caste. Addition of two Phaco Emulsification machines will enhance the capacity of doctors to treat many more patients and be blessing to the poor people of Bihar. For more information, please call Bhadresh Dhila, Co-Chairman of World Community Service at (301) 589-4610
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________________ JAINA PATRON PROGRAM JAINA initiated the patron program in 1997 to finance Jain Digest and other activities. A patron is an individual or a couple who provides an annual support of $251. During 1997-98, there were a total of 222 patrons from North America. JAINA appreciates their financial and moral support. A patron is entitled to (a) receive a bimonthly Jaina Focus newsletter, (b) receive at least one book on Jainism, (c) recognition in Jain Digest once a year, (d) priority enrollment for future pilgrimage to India, (e) priority hotel reservation and seating at the convention and (f) one free listing for MIS. The Patron Program in 1999-2000 will be chaired by Surendra Singhvi, who can be reached at 937-885-7414. . A request letter has been sent to all patrons by Dr. Mahendra Pandya requesting them to renew their support for 1999. All JAINA directors have been requested to become a patron this year. JAINA requests Jain families to become patrons in 1999 by sending the tax-deductible contribution of $251 to Surendra Singhvi, 439 Ridge Line Court, Dayton, OH 45458. JAINA CHARITABLE TRUST The Executive Council of JAINA Charitable Trust approved $5000 for JAINA Calenders and $5000 for JAINA administrative expenses at the request of JAINA president Dr. Mahendra Pandya. JAINA calender will be mailed to all the Jain families in North America. HEADQUARTERS NEWS (continued from page 5) CLINTON CONGRATULATES JAINA ON OBSEVANCE OF AHIMSA DAY President Bill Clinton has written congratulatory letter to Dr. Dhiraj Shah, Past president of JAINA for observing Ahimsa Day (First Sunday in October). His message said in part, " By promoting tolerance and understanding- Ahimsa Day ... You are helping to forge a more secure future for us all". GLOBAL AHIMSA DAY 72 HOURS Dec. 31 to Jan 2, 2000 United Religious Initiative is a worldwide effort to publicize and promote Lord Mahavir's message of Peace and Non-Violence by soliciting the efforts of all religious organizations to focus Dec 31, Jan 1/2 as days of planting seeds of "True Peace". JAINA has joined this global effort and asks all Jain Centers to do any of the following: Meditation, Bhavana, fast/Aymbil and/or Ringing Peace Bells. For more information contact coordinator Ramesh Shah at (440) 442-4596) or Chairperson Surendra Singhavi at (937) 8857414 2010_02 JAINA BOOK SOURCE: BOOK REVIEW By Dilip V. Shah, Philadelphia Search for Eternal Truth Textbook on Jainism for the western world JAINISM: An Indian religion of Salvation By HELMUTH VON GLASENAPP An English Translation of DER JAINISMUS Eine Indische Erlosung religion. Translated By Shridhar B. Shrotri 549 pp. Delhi 595 Rs. Motilal Banarsidas Publishers In an age where many Jains have accepted the faulty notion that Jainism was established by Lord Mahavir, the western world can benefit from this work from one of the early German scholar. Mr. Glasenapp had made his mission to make German people acquaint with Indian culture and philosophy. To that end, study of Jainism is essential and this book, first published in 1925 on the occasion of 75th birthday of Hermann Jacobi, does a masterful job of explaining some of the most complex concepts in Jainism to the uninitiated. The book is Divided into seven sections, has bibliography running in to ten pages and numerous illustrations and photographs. The reader is taken patiently through the history of Jainism and moves on to a comprehensive discussion of the Canonic and Non Canonic literature of Svetambars and Digambars. Almost 200 pages are devoted to explaining the Jain Doctrine. He has from time to time played the role of a scientist in explaining Cosmology and Ethics but his respect for the fundamental principals of Jainism shines through. He has painstakingly drawn distinction between Hinduism / Buddhism and Jainism and rejected early scholar's conclusion that Jainism as nothing more than an offshoot of Hinduism. In explaining the concept of God in Jainism, he brings up different belief systems of Hindus, Buddhists and even Christians and with admiration shows how logical the Jain thoughts are. As one of the western pioneer of Jain studies and one of the few who visited India, we are struck by amount of research that must have been undertaken for this multifaceted study. He has acknowledged help of many Jain Acharyas, Munis and Scholars but he could not have produced this work without studying Prakrit and Sanskrit. He has meticulously detailed world history enumerated by Jainism. He has done a superb job of reciting lives of 24 Tirthankars of the present era and given glimpse of other eras. This book is an excellent learning tool for readers whose first and sometimes only avenue is written work in English. In translating this book in readable English Shridhar Shrotri has does an excellent service to the students of Jainism. JAIN DIGEST-WINTER 1999/15
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________________ AFFILIATE NEWS INTERNATIONAL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION JAINA DOCTORS ORGANIZE OF SHRI MAHAVIR JAIN VIDYALAYA MEDICAL CAMPS IN INDIA IAAMJV to offer Educational Loans to US Resident High Several groups of Jain physicians living in the US sure know School Seniors IAAMJV is inviting applications from the U.S. how to start the new millennium in the best possible way. FollowResident Jain boys and girls graduating from High Schools in June, ing Lord Mahavir - "whoever serves the poor and sick, serves me 2000. The loan amount will be $1,000/year for up to four years best". Our hats off to Dr. Ishwar Bhutta of Montgomery, AL (334) (total: $4,000). The applicants will be selected on the basis of 834-2862 and Rashmi Shah of Torrance, CA (310) 541-8367 following criteria: who are planning medical surgical and eye camp from February * Minimum SAT Score:1000 14 to 18 at Bhagyoday Tirth Hospital at Sagar in Madhya Pradesh. * Cumulative GPA: 3.0 out of 4.0 They are inviting interested persons to contact them. After camp * Financial Need local Tirth Yatra is planned for 2 days. * Quality of Essay Under the leadership of the past JAINA Presidents Drs. * Extra Curricular activities Community service Manibhai Mehta and Dhiraj Shah JAINA and Jain Center of Other honors, achievements, awards, published articles Southern California has been sponsoring medical camp at Bidada on social/religious issues etc. (in Kutch) for the last 8 years. From January 4 to January 20, 2000, scores of JAINA doctors and volunteers will be serving along * Involvement in the activities of the Jain community with physicians and surgeons from Mumbai at the 26" Eye, Den* Two local references tal, Medical & Surgical Camp providing free care in 14 medical Application forms are available through our website and surgical specialties. The camp is expected to treat approxiwww.IAAMJV.ORG.Interested students are requested to fill out mately 15,000 patients including 800 surgeries. The patients who the form and return it with documentation to Dr. Dinesh Shah, cannot be operated upon at camp site will be sent to Mumbai at 2034 Via Del Rey, S. Pasadena, CA 91030. For further details, the expense of the trust. The main sponsor of the camp is Mrudula please call: Dr. Dinesh Shah (West Coast) 323-258-4010 & Dr. Naresh Shah of Wilkes Barre, PA. The Urology Camp is Mr. Rajni T. Shah (Mid West) 630-876-1279 sponsored by DFW Gujrati Samaj (Dallas, TX), General Surgery Mr. Pravin Mehta (South) 615-648-9535 Camp is sponsored by Rajen and Kalpana Jaswa (Saratoga, CA) Mr. Kanti Mepani (East Coast) 203-921-1950 and Arthritis Camp is sponsored by Javerben, Harish and Urmila Dr. Chandrika Tolia 201-767-3518 Visaria. If you need more info, please call Dr. Manibhai Mehta (714) 898-3156. Even if you cannot join the camp, you can cerINTERNATIONAL MAHAVIR JAIN MISSION tainly help. Please send your tax-deductible donation to: "Jain Center of Southern California" (Bidada Camp). And mail to: Dr. International Mahavir Jain Mission (IMIM), an organization Mehta, 11403 Tortuga St, Cypress, CA 90630. founded by Acharya Sushil Kumarji Maharaj has elected the following members in the executive committee for the year 1999 to INTERNATIONAL NEWSBRIEF INTERNATIONAL NEWS ARCHIVE 2002: President: Shantilal Shah, Toronto, Canada Vice-President: Dinesh Chheda W. Caldwell, NJ SAMANS VISIT USA AND AFRICA Secretary: Kathy Kellogg, Mine Hill, NJ Joint Secretary: Arvind Mehta Hartford, CT Saman Sthitpragya and Ashwinipragya completed a successful Treasurer: Jayanti Galaiya Independence NJ tour of USA from July 8 to October 7, 1999. During their twoBoard Members: Harsha Patel MA,Bhadri Lodaya NJ, Bharat months' stay in Sacramento, the Samans presided over the Jain PA, Laxmi Shah, NJ ,Bharat Shah NJ, Ramesh Jain, NJ Paryushan program, and participated in a three-day AnuvratThe following programs will be held at Siddhachalam: Preksha Meditation retreat. In Seattle, Washington, they presented Chha (Six) Gau Yatra March 18, 2000 a program on Jain Lifestyle. In Las Vegas, Nevada, Jains and nonMahavir Jayanti April 23, 2000 Jains participated in their workshop on Science of Living. In San Gurujis Birth Day June 18, 2000 Francisco, California and Detroit, Michigan, the Samans presented Pratistha Anniversary August 6, 2000 lectures on Mahavir. They have received invitations to visit several Kshamapana Day October 1, 2000 Jain Centers next year. Following a successful visit to USA, the For more information, please call Siddhachalam at (908) 362-9793 Samans left on a tour of African countries including Nigeria and South Africa. 6/ JAIN DIGEST- WINTER 1999 Jain Education Interational 2010_02
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________________ SHALL WE THINK A FRESH ? -Manu Doshi, Lake Forest, IL Lahyun Swarupa Na Vruttinun Grahyun Vrata Abhiman; terities countless number of times during the infinite wandering Grahe Nahin Paramarthane Leva Loukika Man that we have been undergoing. That has obviously not led us to the end of the wandering, nor brought us closer to the end. Would He (the conceited being) does not recognize the bent of his it not therefore be worth considering that something must be misstendencies and stays arrogant for ing in our approach? Does it not seem that while undertaking the observing the restraints; for the sake of gaining the worldly traditional activities, we are actually groping in the dark? honor, he does not adopt the true path. The scriptures lay down that the worldly soul has been hushastra wandering, because it has been staying with ignorance about its own nature. The question may arise how could that happen? One The great majority of people are born within one or an- can be ignorant about something beyond his reach, but how can other religious tradition. Since the direct or indirect objective of he be ignorant of himself? The question is sensible, but there are every religion is to gain salvation, every person tends to think that quite a few things, that happen, even though they may seem imhis religion is true and tries to follow the tradition laid down in probable. For instance, one cannot visualize his own death, but at his faith. The staunch belief in one's faith usually gives rise to times, he does so in a dreaming state. And is not the worldly life a fanaticism or conceitedness. The fanatic thinks that only his be- dream? As a dream does not last, so is the worldly life. Its existence lief is right and he gets intolerant of other faiths. As such, he tries is essentially ephemeral. When we look at our past, do the past to enforce his belief on others. The conceited being thinks that events of the life not seem, as if they had occurred in a dream? The what he believes is right and adheres to that; but instead of en- enlightened entities have therefore stated that the worldly soul has forcing his faith on others, he feels contented by looking at the been living in a dreaming state. differing faith with the sense of contempt. The question is, 'How to remove the ignorance of self?' As a matter of fact, most people are not aware of the Ignorance is comparable to darkness. Every one knows that the truth underlying their faith. They are guided by the monks or the darkness cannot be pushed out by beating it or by such other knowledgeable people within their sects, who direct them towards means, but it can be removed by lighting a lamp. Wherever there the traditions of their faith. Thereby, the people learn to equate is light, darkness cannot stay. Similarly the darkness of ignorance the traditional beliefs with the religion and try to follow the same cannot continue in the presence of enlightenment. Such enlightto the extent possible. Such traditions might have been originally enment can come only from within. We, however, overlook that laid down for the wholesome purpose, but with the passage of and try to get the enlightenment by resorting to various traditime, they tend to get perverted or become obsolete. As such, tional activities, while remaining blissfully ignorant of our true there is not left much rationale behind many of the religious tra- nature. ditions. The blind adherence to such traditions therefore amounts By writing this, I am not trying to run down the importo parochialism, which has little to do with the truth. tance of prayer, worship, austerities and such other activities. The Since Jainism teaches to be highly rational, one would austerities, for instance, are laid down for wholesome purposes expect Jains to be free from such parochialism, but in general, we and can lead to spiritual elevation, if the objective of undertaking do not happen to be the exception. We, too, follow the laid down the same is kept in view. That objective is to gain equanimity and rituals without trying to understand the purpose behind them to be free from craving and aversion. Do we, however, ask ourFor instance, we celebrate Snatrapuja and other Pujans in a par- selves whether our observance of the austerities is leading towards ticular way, because it is laid down to celebrate the same that way. that objective? If we do not notice any visible change in our attiThus most of the religious activities happen to be performed me- tude, we need to realize that there is something wrong somewhere. chanically, because it is considered wholesome to do so. We must be overlooking some vital aspect, which does not allow The real objective of Jainism is to show the path of lib- us to see the right path. eration, so as to be free from the cycle of birth and death. For that That vital aspect is that we do not try to find out why the purpose it lays down various forms of worship like prayer, invoca- austerities are to be observed. If some reason is called for, most tion, supplication etc. that are to be practiced in order to get the people would state that Lord Mahavir had observed severe austeriinspiration to go along the path treaded by the omniscient Lords. ties as part of his spiritual pursuit. Is it not therefore obvious that The different types of austerities also are laid down with a view to we should also observe the same to the extent of our capability? eradicate the bondage of Karma, which keeps us tied to worldly life. Very few people recall that Lord Mahavir observed the austerities A little reflection would, however, indicate that we must for the sake of Nirjara, which means eradication of Karma. Tattvarth have performed all types of worship and observed different aus- Sutra, for instance, states: Tapasa Nirjara Cha. It means that the JAIN DIGEST- WINTER 1999 / 17 Jain Education Interational 2010_02
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________________ eradication of Karma can be achieved by austerities. Lord Mahavir resorted to that in order to destroy his bondage of Karma and he ultimately attained the omniscience thereby. Do we, however, examine whether any degree of Nirjara has been gained by our austerities? Not only we do not ask that question to ourselves, but if some one asks us, our reply would be; "How do I know that? It is written in the scriptures that Nirjara can be gained by austerities and as such, I must have gained it!' It is hard to understand how can we afford to remain so vague about the outcome of austerities observed by us. Does it not show callousness? We do not adopt such callousness in our routine life. If we work for some one, we insist on being paid; if we fill up the gas tank for $ 15.71, while presenting the bill of $ 20, we make sure that we get back $4.29; if we lend some amount, we insist on the principal being repaid together with the interest; if we buy some thing, we make sure that we get in proportion to what we spend. Thus, we do not remain callous in the worldly life and stay vigilant that we do not lose in any of our transactions. Then, why do we harbor callousness in the spiritual field, where vigilance is of the utmost importance? Is it not amazing that we are guided by the faint notion of getting some indefinable benefit and resort to long or short fast without keeping in view the purpose of Nirjara? How is it justifiable to contend that we do not know the result of the austerities that we have observed? If we had observed it with a view to gain Nirjara, we must have achieved some definable degree of Nirjara. Unfortunately, such callousness is not restricted to the austerities. Most of the religious activities are undertaken without knowing the purpose and we do not even care to know the reason for anything that we might be doing in the name of religion. We are naive enough to believe that whatever has been laid down, must be right. Let me make this clear by giving an illustration. Lord Parshwanath's birth day is on the 10th day of the dark half of the month of Posh and that is known as Poshdashami. Actually, however, we celebrate it on the 10th day of the dark half of Margashirsh and call it Poshdashami. No one tries to inquire, why Poshdashami is observed in the month of Margashirsh. This apparent anomaly occurs on account of change in reckoning of months. In ancient times, months used to be reckoned as starting from the dark half and ending with the full moon. The month of Margashirsh therefore used to terminate on the full moon day and its dark half was reckoned as the part of the next month. The 10th day of that dark half was reckoned as the tenth day of the month of Posh and that is actually the birth day of Lord Parshwanath. Poshdashami thus actually occurs in the present month of Margashirsh and is rightly celebrated as such. Coming back to the concept of Nirjara, if it has been gained as a result of the austerities, we can surely know about that. We should be experiencing the reduction in the defiling instincts. 18/JAIN DIGEST. WINTER 1999 2010_02 The sense of ego, anger, arrogance, deceit, greediness etc. should have come down. How can we remain unaware of such vital changes? Such benefits are not noticeable, because they are not our objective. We do not have the correct insight for undertaking the austerities. That is the missing link of our religious activities. We simply undertake them without the insight. For instance, we pray or worship with a notion that the omniscient Lords would favor us by giving the right perception or some miracle would happen and the right insight would be dawned to us. The most common concept is that by undertaking the religious activities, we would earn Punya. We would, thereby, get the favorable situations, when we would be endowed with the insight. It is true that the wholesome Karma would lead to more favorable situations, but no situation can automatically lead to the insight. As a matter of fact, more comfortable situation may also give rise to vanity, haughtiness, infatuation etc. which can lead to the unwholesome Karma. Only the right insight can save us from such predicament. It is therefore necessary to have the insight while undertaking any religious activity. That can be done by remaining conscious of what we are doing and why we are doing. Our activities are usually governed by our tendencies. Such tendencies can be divided in two main groups, a) those leading towards the self realization and b) those that tend to perpetuate the worldly life. Anger, ego, arrogance etc. come within the purview of the second category. We need to fight against such tendencies and try to overcome the same. That can be done by observing the austerities. But unless we are conscious of our wrong tendencies, how can we overcome them? It might have been noticed that many observers of austerities indulge in anger. The people generally take for granted that anger may arise on account of observance of austerities. But that is fundamentally against the purpose for which austerities are to be undertaken. They are actually meant for overcoming the defilements. If the observer therefore remains prone to get mad or harbors anger or any other defilement, he misses the very purpose of undertaking the austerities. It is also seen that the observer may feel proud of his austerities. He would think that he can observe the austerities which very few people can. He would expect respect from others and the people usually do that by saying that so and so is a great observer of austerities. That nourishes his ego. As such, if some one does not acknowledge his greatness, the observer might get haughty and may even behave with that person arrogantly. Such indulgence underscores the fact that the austerities are undertaken without the purpose of overcoming the defilement. Such undesirable instincts occur mainly because austerities and other religious activities are undertaken with the belief that those activities would lead to Punya. But the concept of Punya (Continued on Page 19)
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________________ FOR OUR HEALTH OSTEOPOROSIS Osteoporosis is a disease of the skeleton characterized by a loss of calcium from the bones to the point where they become brittle and prone to fracture. In other words, the bones lose density. What Causes Osteoporosis? Until age 40, the process of breaking down (calcium loss) and building up (calcium deposit) bone is in complete balance. How ever, with advanced age, loss of calcium outpaces calcium deposition, resulting in brittleness and fractures. Who Gets Osteoporosis? The incidence of osteoporosis varies between men and women. Eighty percent of the 24 million Americans with osteoporosis are women. Half of all women over the age of 50 have at least a partial manifestation of the disease. After menopause, production of estrogen in women decreases and this effect results in an increased loss of calcium and bone fragility. In men, osteoporosis is less common. It usually affects short, thin men with weak thigh muscles. Major risk factors for the disease include diets that are low in calcium and/or vitamin D. Asian women, due to relatively decreased bone mass, low-calcium diets, and minimal exercise, have a higher incidence. Certain medications (e.g. Malox), cigarette smoking, coffee (more than two cups per day), lack of sunlight, and depression can also play a role in initiating or aggravating the disease. The diagnosis of osteoporosis is confirmed medically by measuring bone density through x-ray techniques. This is a painless, outpatient test and can be performed in a few minutes. Experts recommend a bone density test for post-menopausal women who have one or more of the basic risk factors or who have had a fracture. Blood tests for calcium are typically not useful as these levels in the body will be normal even with advanced disease. How Can Osteoporosis Be Prevented? Exercise is very important for increasing bone mass and should begin during the teenage years, as this time of life is important for bone growth. Daily, brisk walks for 20-30 minutes combined with 2010_02 by Dr. Dilip Shah, Chicago,IL Chirag Shah, Yale University School of Medicine weight training and specific back exercises will strengthen the back, thigh, and hipbones in older individuals. Low-impact Yoga and Tai Chi will improve balance and decrease the risk of falling. A calcium intake of 1200 mg. a day is a minimal recommendation for normal individuals and 2000 mg. a day is required for breastfeeding women. Dietary sources of calcium include milk fortified with vitamin D, broccoli, turnip greens, and almonds. Tofu prepared with calcium is rich in plant chemicals, called Isofavones, which have been shown to increase bone density significantly. Calcium is also available through commercial brands such as Caltrate, Os-Cal, Tums, and Citracal, all of which are good supplements due to their high concentrations of calcium. Vitamin D is also a necessity for calcium absorption and can be obtained through exposure to sunlight or from dietary sources. For women, Hormone-Replacement Therapy (HRT)- the administration of estrogen with or without progesterone- has been shown to increase bone density and reduce fractures. In one study, the risk for hip fractures decreased by 4-11% for every year of HRT. The use of estro gen alone has raised some concern due to its association with an increased risk of uterine cancer but a new drug, Evista, appears to be somewhat safer in this regard. Another new medication called Fosamax may also prove to be useful in the prevention of hip, back, and wrist fractures. Ongoing research looks promising for safer and more effective drugs. Consult your physician for more details about the various available treatment options. More detailed information can be obtained from the following organization: National Osteoporosis Foundation 1150 17th Street, N.W., Suite 500, Washington, D.C. 20036-4603 http://www.not.org/ Please send all questions or comments to the following address: Dilip Shah, M.D. 1508 Midwest Club Oak Brook, IL 60523 dilipshahmd@yahoo.com. Shall We Think A Fresh? (Continued from Page 18) and Pap seems to be oversimplified. There is no machinery somewhere in the space, which maintains the accounts of our good or bad activities and gives us fruits at the appropriate time. But such account is maintained within ourselves. Whatever we do or think, leaves its impact within. If our action is wholesome, we get purer within; and if it is unwholesome, the inner spirit gets impure. That impact is instantaneous, there is no waiting period. Such inner purity or impurity itself is Punya or Pap. Since our physical vocal and mental apparatus continues to work, we happen to gain purity or acquire impurity every moment. Thereby, the inner purity or impurity gets lighter or deeper depending upon the type of activities and, in due course, that becomes the part of our nature Such deep rooted tendencies are termed as Sanskar. They stay with us even at the end of life and lead us to a new life appropriate to such Sanskar. JAIN DIGEST. WINTER 1999/19
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________________ JAIN MYTHS AND UNKNOWNS: SOLVED Being Jain and buying products in today's society is problematic: many hidden ingredients and unknown producing standards make for sacrilegious items finding their way into our homes, although we are aware of the usual-leather belts and shoes and lard. The only way to fight back is to utilize our principle of aware ness. Following is a short list of items to avoid, why to avoid them, and associated myths. Candy-It being right after Halloween, most people have their cupboards stuffed to the brim with candy; and unfortunately many non-chocolate candies are inedible. Prime examples are Skittles, Starburst and marshmallows, which contain gelatin, an ingredient composed of a protein substance obtained by boiling animal bones and connective tissue. Others will argue that makers use kosher gelatin a non-animal product to satisfy the Jewish standards of eating since it is a cheaper to manufacture alternative that would inevitably be of use because of the financial benefits. This in fact is not true-every kosher gelatin product, such as some Jell-O's, is denoted in the ingredient list by K-gelatin. Makeup Many of us not only in the United States but also in India do not recognize the amount of animal products that go into cosmetic products. Items such as lipstick are said to have animal fat to increase their moisture. A clear definition cannot be given because they vary line by line. A easier alternative would be to purchase products from smaller lines such as The Body Shop, a line of cosmetic and facial products committed to no animal testing. A Body Shop representative explained that most products use beeswax lipsticks and chapsticks and pony hair for hairbrushes. She also warned not to buy musk products that are synthetic and to avoid the ingredients "placenta" and "collagen" in any product. Yet the matter is deeper than that. When you visit a small boutique that hikes up its prices by claiming there is no animal testing, you should beware. The U.S. permits companies to print labels claiming no animal testing, when in fact their products are tested on animals. A prime example would be the teen-targeted and flourishing company, Bath and Body Works. Contrary to what their label reads, they do in fact have products tested on animals. The U.S. does not have legislation to limit the amount of private research done on animals, and only requires reporting numbers of vertebrate animals. The Body shop recently pushed for legislation in the U.K. that would limit animal testing. The bottom line: be careful. Sometimes you can't avoid it. 20/JAIN DIGEST WINTER 1999. 2010_02 By Monica Bobra Packaged products-Speaking of U.S. legislation, it was Upton Sinclair and his book, The Jungle, that prompted the U.S. to regulate the meat-packing industry back in 1906. However, the U.S. soon recognized that every piece of meat, and on a more broad horizon, every single packaged product can't be free of the items that make us cringe: animal parts, droppings and hairs. Instead there is an allotted percentage of unsanitary items that can be present in each packaged product you buy. The solution: go organic whenever possible. Another unavoidable glitch. It should also be mentioned the same goes for the fast-food industry. The following is a list of some common hidden animal prod ucts: -lactylate - Anything with the word "lactyl-" almost always is derived from animals. -rennet, rennin from the stomach of calves. Some cheeses include it. -casein, casienate -Also found in cheeses, including most soy cheeses. -lecithin - Soy lecithin is however okay. -tallow - An animal derivative. Many products, such as cheese and kodak paper are shrouded in controversy. Do they or don't they? It is almost impossible for us to find out, and growing concern can make us all go crazy. Is it possible to avoid all animal products all the time? The answer is simply no. However, information is available. A very good, updated website is PETA: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals(www.peta.com). It has a list of several companies that test on animals and has many informative pages. It is the closest and best connection to awareness that is possible.
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________________ JAINA CURRENT FINANCIAL STATEMENT JAINA General Fund Various sub-committee balances: Education Committee Jiv Daya Committee World Community Service Temple Guideline YJA Virchand R. Gandhi Fund N. American Jain Family Assistance Program Tirthoddhar Committee Pilgrimage Committee JAINA Book Source Committee TOTAL Money Market fund for JD Endowment CD for JAIN Digest Endowment Fund JAINA Charitable Trust as of 11/22/99 as per information supplied by Jagar Jain GRAND TOTAL submitted by Anop R. Vora, Treasurer 2010_02 t Am JAINA DIGEST LIFE MEMBERS UPDATE $20,776.95 462U SUDHIR & TARU AMIN 463U SANDIEEP & CHARU JAIN 464U DR. MANJU RANI JAIN 465U SATISH & SURYA SHAH 466U DALSUKH & KANAK KOTHARI $5,417.92 0.00 33,779.70 467U DEEPAK & UJWALA SHAH 1,401.00 468U ASHOK & USHA SHAH 3,369.41 469U RASIK & RANJAN SHAH 7.727.00 470U UPESH & NIMISHA SHAH 5,484.00 471U YOGESH & KASHMIRA SHAH 4,331.00 472U SURESH & ASMITA SHAH 10,129.00 473U BIPIN & KALPANA VORA 6,590.22 474U NARENDRA & BELA KHANDWALA 475U BHARAT & PRAMILA SHAH $78,229.25 476U JITEN & CHANDAN SHAH 477U VIPUL & SANGEETA SANGHVI $6,903.76 478U ALPA J. SANGHVI $54,702.56 479U AMIT & USHMA SANGHVI 480U P. R. LAKHANI $165,849.31 481U PRAVIN & DAXA KATWALA 482U DEVENDRA & MEETA PEER 483U SAMPRATI & HANSA SHAH 484U DEEPAK & USHA GANDHI 485U RICK & TRACY KHONA 486U BHAVESH & PANNA KAMDAR 487U KAMLESH & BELA SHAH 488U PRADIP & AJITA SHAH $326,461.83 Name AURORA, IL PLANTATION, FL FAIRFAX, VA PLANO, TX CEDAR PARK,TX Address JAMAICA,NY NAPERVILLE,IL DES PLAINES,IL ZION,IL ZION,IL FEDERATION OF JAIN ASSOCIATIONS IN NORTH AMERICA APPEAL I want to help retaining Jain identity and culture by supporting JAINA and I want to be a proud Jain! Please fill out this form and support JAINA. Phone () Email STREAMWOOD,IL NAPERVILLE,IL ELK GROVE,IL ORLAND PARK,IL NORTHBROOK,IL HICKSVILLE,NY HICKSVILLE,NY HICKSVILLE,NY CANFIELD,OH ROSELL,IL PHILADELPHIA,PA ELK GROVE,IL Mail this completed form and your financial contribution to: JAINA Headquarters PO Box 700 Getzville, NY 14068 I want to be a Trustee of JAINA Charitable Trust and will donate $500 every year I want to be a JAINA Patron and will donate $251 every year I want to be a Life Member of JAIN DIGEST and will donate $101 I I want to subscribe to JAIN DIGEST for one year (Winter 1999 to Fall 2000) for $11 other amount: $10 $25 $50 Please make checks payable to JAINA. Your donation is tax-deductible. Please advise if you wish to remain anonymous. 950 Jain families have already done so, would you not do so? If not for you, do it for your children and grandchildren. HOBOKEN,NJ JACKSONVILLE,FL BUFFALO, NY ELK GROVE,IL BAKERSFIELD,CA JAIN DIGEST WINTER 1999/21
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________________ MIS REGISTRATION FORM - PAGE 1 Name (please print): Address: STREET Phone: () Date of Birth: Send this completed form, a check in the amount of $25 and a recent, full-length photograph of yourself with your name printed on the back to: Hasmukh M. Shah, 8721 Scrimshaw Drive, New Port Richey, FL 34653-6623 Phone: 727/376-7290 LAST Fax: () Are you a vegetarian? YES NO Have you been married before? YES NO If yes, indicate the name of your divorced spouse. What is your visa status in the USA/Canada? MONTH/YEAR Candidate's signature: Height: 22/ JAIN DIGEST WINTER 1999 COMPANY'S NAME POSITION DURATION Father's Name: Mother's Name: 2010_02 FIRST Weight: Do you smoke? YES NO CITY Brother(s) and/or Sister(s) NAME(S) AGE(S) EDUCATION OCCUPATION Do you have other relatives living in the North America? NAME RELATIONSHIP OCCUPATION ADDRESS Other relevant information (use additional paper if necessary): MIDDLE What languages do you speak? What languages do you read? What languages do you write? Education: DEGREE YEAR RECEIVED MAJOR NAME OF UNIVERSITY/COLLEGE Work experience: Occupation: Occupation: STATE When did you enter the USA/Canada? Email: Do you drink? YES NO What is your religion? Important Considerations: It is important to remember that the MIS is a non-for-profit, voluntary community service. The MIS and JAINA assume no respon-sibility or liability for the accuracy or authenticity of the information furnished in the ads or any consequences resulting thereof. The entire responsibility rests with the candidates themselves. All information furnished to the MIS is confidential. Only those who are sincerely interested in looking for a Jain life partner should send a Registration Form. While matching, photographs will not be passed on to the candidates by the MIS. Parents/guardians should communicate with the candidate before placing ad and assist them in making a final decision. Date: ZIP
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________________ MIS REGISTRATION FORM - PAGE 2 1. Two references who are members of the Jain Community or Guideline to all perspective participants other Indian organizations. A. Name: Address: Phone: Member of: B. Name: Address: Phone: Member of: ORGANIZATION'S NAME ORGANIZATION'S NAME 2. Indicate your personal preference of these criteria for the match. and Age: Between the ages of Height: Between the height of Weight: Between the weight of Education: Bachelor and and Masters Degree Other Major: Vegetarian: YES NO Residence: (state) Visa Status: Length of time in North America: Language. English: YES NO Other (specify): or open. or open. Work experience: YES NO years. 2010_02 or open. Congratulations! JAINA would like to congratulate all couples who have come together with the help of the services of the MIS. JAINA wishes to thank them for their generous donation. The following candidates who have registered/listed with the Marriage Information Service are married/engaged, with the help of this service: F98, 127, 139, 151, 152, 159, 188, 196, 206, 257, 268, 299, 316, 366, 378, 382, 385, 387, 393, 397, 398, 426, 447, 457, 462, 465, 483, 490, 492, 536, 542, 545, 555, 570, 578, 590, 635, 668, 671. AF74, 90, 106, 101, 110, 137, 165, 176, 180, 193, 194. M181, 199, 237, 254, 275, 284, 286, 287, 304, 321, 330, 336, 342, 343, 344, 364, 388, 389, 395, 400, 405, 411, 417, 422, 438, 445, 446, 448, 450, 452, 459, 470, 478, 479, 535, 536, 538, 551, 561, 575, 582, 583, 596, 617, 624, 672, 697, 731. AM79, 89, 104, 107, 108, 114, 120, 122, 135, 137, 138, 169, 174, 186, 187, 199, 221. More and more Jains around the world are not only appreciating this much needed service, but are also taking advantage of it. Simultaneously, the flow of ads in JAIN DIGEST is gradually increasing. MIS INFORMATION: THIS IS HOW IT WORK Be positive, constructive, creative and friendly! No match is going to be "perfect." Complement and support each other practicing respect sharing, acquire knowledge and maintaining your uniqueness while keeping an open mind. These are the qualities that make for human perfection. Our world is shrinking and we are a global village and life is not always easy. However, we can carry our philosophy and our value system that is very worth while, with us. Accept the challenge and make your choice be a worth while one. Placing an Ad and Registration with MIS Anyone wishing to place an ad and register with the MIS Marriage Information Service-must follow these instructions carefully: 1. Fill out the attached Registration Form. The registrant must fill out this form. Do not leave anything blank. 2. Mail the the completed form + a check in the amount of $25 payable to Hasmukh M. Shah. 3. a recent, full-length photo of yourself with your name printed on the back. 4. Upon receipt of this information the MIS will draft an ad for you and it will appear in the JAIN DIGEST-but only once. Remember, JAIN DIGEST is a quarterly publication. Placing an Ad Only If you do not wish to register with the MIS and wish to draft an ad yourself, you may do so in 30 words or less. Remember, that the MIS reserves the right to edit all such ads. Follow step A above, but submit your own ad instead of a completed form and photo. As a rule, all MIS ads include the phone number of the registrant. However, if you do not wish to publish your phone number, you must specifically notify Hasmukh M. Shah. Full name, address and phone number of the candidate must be furnished for MIS records, along with the ads. Responding to an Ad (only if contact info isn't available). If the phone number or address is not given in the ad, then you must contact the candidate through MIS. Follow these step-by-step instructions. Place your bio-data and a recent photograph of yourself in a sealed, stamped envelope with your return address in the upper left-hand corner and the MIS ad reference number in the lower left hand corner of the envelope. Leave space on the envelope for an address. Place this envelope in another envelope with your return address in the upper left-hand corner and mail it to Hasmukh M. Shah. Upon receipt of these responses the MIS will place the ad holders address on the inner envelope and mail it. Remember, MIS is not responsible for responses that do not conform to these instructions. Please notify the MIS Please notify the MIS when an engagement or marriage has been announced. This helps us to know if this community service is working to help maintain our traditions. Please note that if a successful alliance has taken place, both parties will agree to donate what ever amount they wish to JAINA to help defray the cost of publication. JAIN DIGEST. WINTER 1999/23
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________________ MATRIMONIALS MALE AM250: Gujarati parents invite proposals AF 121: Exceptionally beautiful, very fair, for handsome, fair, intelligent, charming, 25, 5'7", 112 lb, MS, M501: Gujarati parents invite proposals for vegetarian son, born May 74, 5'8", 155 lb, Pursuing JD (law) with full scholarship, handsome, fair, bright, intelligent, BS.comp.sc.(4/00),well employed as talented dancer, highly Virtuous, loving, vegetarian, US born son, June 70,5'7", 135 programmer, from cultured, vegetarian, family oriented daughter. Prestigious Ib, BBA(3)(fin/ human resources / comp) educated girls. Call: 609/347-6713. Gujarati Jain Family invite photo & well positioned in an International co., from biodata. Call: 714/730-1570. cultured, educated girls. Call: 419/8418985. Gujarati Jain Parents invite response for AF171: Alliance invited by Gujarati parents handsome, intelligent, vegetarian, US for very beautiful, fair, highly accomplished, M508: Correspondence invited for citizen son, born January 73, 6.0, 165 lbs. US raised daughter born Feb 72.5 handsome, slender, JD, Jain Gujarati BS (Computer Science). Well employed doing residency, from professional boys, with famous co at Los Angeles. From Attorney, 32, 5'10", graduate of Ivy League preferably MD. Call: 419/868-7476. cultured, educated vegetarian girls. Law school and practicing at prestigious law Call: (714) 572-2304 firm, from beautiful, slim, sophisticated, US AF249: Proposals invited for pretty, fair, raised girls, at least 5'4", caste, religion no charming, vegetarian, cultured Gujarati FEMALE bar. Photo must. Phone: 1-800-315-9844. Female, born Dec 61, 5'3", 120 lb, BS, well employed in a comp. co., Innocently M527: Alliance invited from suitable, 5568: Alliance invited by Gujarati parents divorced, from suitable, cultured, family cultured, educated match, for Gujarati, for beautiful, attractive, talented, oriented match.Phone: 416/244-7221. Good looking, vegetarian boy, born Feb 68, Caring, vegetarian, US raised daughter, 5'6", 140 lb, MBBS, well employed. Two born Nov 70, 5'2", 110 lb, DDM, AF251: Jain parents invite proposals for months never consumated marriage. Call: their good looking, slim, US born Dentist, well employed, from cultured, well 713/785-5246. educated, professional Boys. Call: 718/507 daughter, March 76,5'6", BS (physiology), Studying Chemical Engineering, from 4570. M764: Gujarati parents invite responses for cultured well educated, professional boys. bright, intelligent, vegetarian, US citizen F763: Alliance invited for beautiful, Call: 810/750-0999. son, born Nov 72, 5'4", 140 lb, BS (civil attractive, brilliant, Gujarati girl, born May engg),well Employed, from cultured, 69, 5'1", 105 lb, MS (comp. sc.), AF252: Alliance invited from Gujarati, Jain, educated girls. Call: 973/361-1538. innocently divorced, from cultured, well vegetarian, cultured, well educated, Professional boys, for affectionate, caring, educated match. Call: 601/368-9834. AM124: Extremely handsome, fair, 6'1", niece, raised in Bombay, Born Sept 76,5'4", Email: amrita99@hotmail.com 29, JD (law), MBA, chief executive Bcom, doing articleship for CA, willing to Officer in a high technology co., son. F765: Sister invites proposals from Prestigious loving, cultured, wealthy educated, cultured." Jain. never cultured, Jain, never 378-5715. Gujarati Jain family seeks a compatible married, Gujarati boys for charming, match. Call: 714/730-1570. F715: Gujarati parents invite proposals for talented, Bombay based sister, born Dec 66, slim, very beautiful,charming,exciting, 5'3", 118 lb, educated in Digital electronics, AM214: Practicing Surgeon seek educated, vegetarian US born daughter, Nov 74,54", software consultant and Yoga Therapist, professional, active, vegetarian & pretty willing to settle in USA. Call: 408/972 pursuring MBA/MS, from cultured lady around forty years, residing in USA. professional who has diversified interests 2340.Email: sonal_sanghvi@hotmail.com Please mail biodata/returnable photo at: and loves to laugh.Call: 732/287-2738. 11412 Rouen Drive, Potomac, MD 20854. F766: Physician parents invite responses Brother invites an alliance from cultured, for their very beautiful, fair, vegetarian, US AM248: Alliance invited by Jain parents for educated boys for his beautiful, slim, born Daughter, April 77, 5'9", currently handsome, fair, intelligent, vegetarian, sports vegetarian sister, born Dec 72,5'5", BS, well doing Masters in Finance.Contact: 757/ oriented, US born son, June 74,5'11", 140 424-2899 or write: Box 61831 Virginia employed in Bombay, and willing to settle Ib, BS (IE), pursuing MBA, employed in in the USA. She is currently on a visit to Beach, VA 23466. family electronics business. Call: 972/473 the USA. Call 201-325-9202. 7417. 24 / JAIN DIGEST- WINTER 1999 2010_02
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________________ D:D YOUNG JAINS OF AMERICA Federation of Jain Associations in North America A Non-Profit Tax Exempt Religious Organization. IRS Code Section 501(c)(3) El #54-1280028 yja-exec@egroups.com. http://www.yja.org Jai Jinendra! It's Convention Season! You can see it in the eyes of any YJA or LACC (Los Angeles Convention Committee) Executive member. Aside from the enthusiasm and excitement about putting this together, you will also notice the toll it is taking on their bodies. The rings around their eyes show how long the nights are when we sit down to check our email. The sore throat indicates the numerous phone calls we make to coordinate this. And our empty pockets will give you a clue as to how badly we need fundraising. But we bare the burden and continue the plight because we know that Convention 2000 is going to be the biggest and best thing to hit Jain youth since soy products. CHAIRS Shubhra Jain (314) 345-3296 shubhrajain@mail.com Naishadh Shah (516) 609-8098 naishadhsheh@mail.com DIRECTORS Education Monica Shah (312) 587-1241 monicashah@mail.com Finance/Fundraising Vishal Ghiya (215) 882-0787 vishalghiyaa mail.com Membership/Records Mudita Shah (405) 329-1465 shahmudita@mail.com Publications Rajan Mehta (510) 704-5683 rajmehta@mail.com Public Relations Nirav Shah (313) 598-6754 nirav_shaha mail.com Webmaster Pinkesh Shah (248) 324-4442 pinkeshshah@mail.com REGIONAL COORDINATORS Mid Atlantic Anita Shah (516)873-7104 anitashah @mail.com Midwest Reshma Modi (248) 851-3965 reshmamodi@mail.com Northeast Shefali Parekh (504) 862-8000 x3945 shefaliparekh @mail.com South Jay Doshi (713) 790-1259 jaydoshi@mail.com Even though the convention preparation is coming along nicely, we could still use some help. YJA is seeking new Executive Board members for the 2000-2001 term. Anyone from North America is welcome to apply. Please send a resume (highlighting Jain involvement) and an essay entitled "How I Will Lead YJA through the Millennium" to_yja@mail.com. When applying, keep in mind that there is much responsibility and time commitment involved. The Midwest and South Regional Conventions look to be a great way to learn about Jainism in a more personal environment. These regional conventions will also provide opportunity for youth to interact closer in smaller groups. Registration deadlines for the Regional Conventions have passed. YJA is planning on increasing the number of regional conventions every year. The Mid Atlantic region is next on our list. There has been progress in our non-convention committees as well. Our latest Young Minds issue should be in mailboxes within a matter of days and is already online at www.yja.org The Education Committee is working closely with Pathshala teachers to form a universalized method of teaching Jain youth. Our "Jain Corps" trips to Bihar, India seem to becoming a reality soon. The www.yja.org web-site will now feature a feedback page for Convention 2000 ideas and suggestions. All in all, YJA is balancing the convention load with its general load. As we have emphasized earlier, YJA is working hard for its members. Please don't let this work go in vain. Provide suggestions, ideas, comments-give us any input you have to make life better for Jain youth. It is only with your input that we can arrange things for your education and enjoyment. Southeast Heerain Shah (404) 206-4338 heerainshah@mail.com West Milan Mehta (408) 436-1522 milanmehta@mail.com Sincerely, Naishadh Shah and Shubhra Jain YJA Co-2525Chairs 1999-2000 Young Jains of America (YJA) is the umbrella youth organization of the Federation of Jain Associations in North America (JAINA). The mission of YJA is to be recognized nationally and internationally as an umbrella youth organization for establishing a network to share Jain heritage and religion through youth. JAIN DIGEST- WINTER 1999 / 25 Jain Education Interational 2010_02
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________________ YJA Jain Convention 2000 Los Angeles Young Jains of America, in collaboration with the Los Angeles Convention Committee are honored to bring you the fourth biennial YJA Convention. "Four Days Journey Into The Self", the theme of this convention, is dedicated to inspiring Jain youths to take a closer look at themselves. Living in a society that addresses the body and soul to be one, we sometimes forget about integrating our religion into our everyday lives. Our goal is to provide a diverse educational forum which will help them better understand Jainism in the context of our lives. The purpose of the biennial YJA convention is to help Jain youth explore Jain ideas, values, beliefs, and culture. Delegates can engage in meaningful dialogues to share their ideas and perspectives, all the while, learning from other participants' point of views. The convention is a three-day event that primarily features numerous workshops, panel discussions, seminars, and lectures by prominent speakers. The gathering gives youth a chance to develop and foster new and old relationships. It is an excellent opportunity to address the unique issues that face the current generation of Jain youth. Past YJA Conventions: July 4th weekend, 1998 - Del Lago Resort and Conference Center, Houston, TX (750 attendees) July 4th weekend, 1996 - San Francisco Airport Hyatt Regency, San Francisco, CA (600 attendees) July 4th weekend, 1994 - Marriott Hickory Ridge in Lisle, IL (400 attendees) With the convention only a few months away, the YJA board and LACC are working at full force to make this convention as successful a one. In past years the response has been overwhelming. Hundreds of people have had to be turned away during the previous conventions and that is why the LACC is working vigorously to make this is the biggest Jain youth convention ever. We are expecting a over 800 attendees, participating from the United States, Canada, and the UK. The LACC has many wonderful ideas for different activities and speakers and is currently working diligently to implement these ideas at the convention. "We want to make this convention fun for everyone, meaning all age groups and both genders, and that is why we are making sure to have activities that everyone will enjoy," commented Activities and Programming Director Samta Jain. Meanwhile, YJA and the LACC are currently strategically planning how we are going to fund this convention. We are looking at a budget of $260,000 to host more than 800 participants. Yes, we are charging registration fees, but we are keeping the fees low so that the youths (mostly non-working students) can afford to attend. We still need to raise at least $70,000 and we've been steadily approaching this goal, thanks to the help of many. Yet, we still need your help! WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT: Donor Name: Company Name (Optional): Address City: Day time Phone: Evening Phone: 26/JAIN DIGEST-WINTER 1999 - 2010_02 State: Zip: Send to: Young Jains of America c/o Vishal Ghiya 38 Euston Road, Marlton, NJ 08053 (A tax deductible receipt will be mailed to you.)
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________________ ENTRENAME (LACC) Los Angeles Convention Committee for The 4th Biennial YJA Convention, 2000 in Los Angeles ke NAME KOMAL SHAH Sachin Shah Amishi Dedhia Pinki Gandhi Sneha Dedhia Deepa Metha Suken Jain Neha Shah Samta Jain Shefali Shah Shital Gala Yagi Shah Bhumika Khona Sameer Shah Nirav Patel Pina Shah Amar Salgia POSITION CO-CHAIR Co-Chair Co-Director of Finance Co-Director of Finance Co-Director of Fundrasing (Corp) Co-Director of Fundrasing (Local) Co-Director of Hospitality Co-Director of Hospitality Co-Director of Programming Co-Director of Programming Co-Director of Marketing Co-Director of Marketing Co-Director of Registration Co-Director of Registration Co-Director of Site Co-Director of Souvenir Co-Director of Souvenir PHONE 310-521-1916 714-572-2304 310-443-8638/714-774-7808 818-349-5254 949-654-0651/714-774-7808 714-524-1833 714-529-5874 949-752-5421 949-250-0879 949-509-9378/714-826-3579 714-956-5998 949-602-0606 714-579-3356 714-572-2304 909-313-4539 714-282-8507 310-542-0414 EMAIL komallacc@email.com sachinlacc@email.com amishilacc@email.com pinkilacc@email.com snehalacc@email.com deepalacc@email.com sukenlacc@email.com nehalacc@email.com samtalacc@email.com shefalilacc@email.com shitallacc@email.com yagilacc@email.com bhumikalacc@email.com sameerlacc@email.com niravlacc@email.com Pinalacc@email.com amarlacc@email.com Not sure who to contact to answer your question? Email y jalacc@email.com Check out our website at www.geocities.com/yjala2000 We want your feedback We know that past YJA conventions have been remarkable and we want to make this convention even better! So the LACC and YJA invite you to tell us what you would like to see at this convention. We want to hear your feedback about what you have seen at past conferences and would like to see again. We also know that many of you have ideas about how to make the 2000 convention in LA successful....so tell us. All feedback will be kept confidential and used for planning purposes only. Every idea counts and we want to see your idea come to life at the YJA convention LA in 2000, so tell us what will bring you here. These are just some of the ideas we have incorporated thus far: cut down travel time to the conference, by having it located closer to the airport Divide up sessions and lectures by age to make the discussions age appropriate Have a selection on the menu for vegan attendees Increase the number of participants Have a more dynamic set of speakers; fewer lectures and more discussions We want to give you what you want, but we need to hear from you first! So visit us at www.geocities.com/yjala2000 and send us your feedback today! JAIN DIGEST- WINTER 1999 / 27 Jain Education Interational 2010_02
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________________ Y2J-CALL FOR CREATIVE WORK Are you a writer, artist, poet or photographer? Is your work inspired by Jainism? Does it depict Jain images? This is your chance to be published! We are looking for creative works to be included in the Convention 2000 Souvenir Book entitled Four Days' Journey into the Self. This book is a serious undertaking. Books from previous conventions have been archived by the U.S. Library of Congress. We need your help in making it great! You can: SPARK AN INTEREST in youth power for national and community development. INSPIRE US THROUGH STORIES of the courageous lives and exploits of prominent Jain figures of history. EXPRESS YOUR INNER BEING through poetry. TELL US ALL ABOUT the special things your youth group does. Who are you, and what makes you guys unique? RESOLVE THE CONTROVERSY of our individual and community practice of Ahinsa: Why is Ahinsa foremost? Where do we comply and where do we compromise? How can we best practice what we preach? ADDRESS THE ISSUES which relate to the male and female genders. Is it important to marry Jain? Tell the guys and gals what they need to hear. ENLIGHTEN US on the cardinal virtues of forgiveness, self-control, and vigilance. PROFESS TO THE WORLD why you choose to be Jain. PROVE WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE the importance of learning Jainism and practicing its teachings. EDUCATE US on the meanings of the Jain traditions, rituals and practices. SHARE YOUR WISDOM AND INSIGHT into how we can explain our philosophy to non-Jains: How does one address a hard-core meat-eater? A devout Christian? A Hindu acquaintance? An atheist? CONNECT Jainism with how one makes a living. How can Jain thinking (and conduct) set us up for success? How does it show in the material "wealth" of the Jain community? Can one be a Jain and Bill Gates at the same time? HELP US PRACTICE AHIMSA with your vegan and veggie recipes. ANSWER THE QUESTION: Why does life suck without Jainism? Or write and be heard on whatever Jainism- or community-related issues are important to you. Written pieces need to be in electronic form and should not exceed 1500 words, but we'll try to be flexible. Send us your written submissions by April 1, 2000 to yja2000souvenir@yahoo.com YJA 2000 -ILLUSTRATION CONTEST We want to see Jainism through your eyes! If you or someone in your youth group has interesting ideas and a creative eye, and would like to express them through photography, drawing, paining, pencil art, or any other two-dimensional medium, we want to print your work. Submissions will be accepted both from youth groups and from individuals. (No more than two (2) entries per youth group or per individual, please.) You'll see the "best" entry (or two) published on a full page in the souvenir book and in full color. All entries received will be placed on display at the LA convention. Share your insight with the world through the visual medium. Awe us with your originality, dazzle us with your creativity, and enlighten us with your message! Mail entries to: YJA 2000 Illustration c/o Pina Shah, 340 West Brentwood Ave. Orange, CA 92865 For more information, contact us at yja2000souvenir@yahoo.com. Or, call us: Pina Shah (714-343-0772) or Amar Salgia (310-542-0414). All entries need to be RECEIVED by April 1, 2000. Also, contact us for any research, reference, illustrations or other materials you'll need to make your article the best it can be. We'll send you whatever you need free of charge. 28/JAIN DIGEST WINTER 1999 2010_02
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________________ Jain Digest With best compliments to JAINA Dr. Navin C. Mehta, M.B.B.S., M.D., P.C. EAR, NOSE & THROAT HEAD & NECK FACIAL PLASTIC & RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGEON ADJUNCT SURGEON NEW YORK EYE & EAR INFIRMARY 2010_02 ASSISTANT CLINICAL PROFESSOR NEW YORK MEDICAL COLLEGE & AFFILIATED HOSPITALS 303 2nd AVENUE, SUITE 10 NEW YORK CITY, NY 10003 (212) 505-9640 Tirthankar Parsavnath namo arihaMtANaM namo siddhANaM namo AyariyANaM namI uvajjhAyANaM namo loe sabasAhUNaM eso paMcanamukArI. sabapAvappaNAsaNI maMgalANaM ca gavArI, paDhamaM vai maMgale' Live and Let Live Jain temple format C fet, un framt t Tirthankar Mahavir
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________________ This cover is sponsored by Jaya Travel and Tours Girnar Hills Jain Temples, Gujrat Visit our North American office at: Visit our Indian office at: 26500 Northwestern Highway TELEPHONE Suite 260 248/358-9100 Southfield, MI 48076 FAX USA 248/372-4806 Rizvi House 34 Hill Road Bandra (West), Bombay 400050 INDIA TELEPHONE 6423031 6420402 6425222 FAX 6436421 Also visit us at www.jayatravel.com Jain DIGEST Circulation Federation of JAINA PO Box 700 Getzville, NY 14068-0700 NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID NIAGARA FALLS, NY PERMIT NO. 142 Address Service Requested Moving? Receiving duplicate copies? Send your address corrections to: Jain Digest Circulation Federation of JAINA P.O. Box 700 Getzville, NY 14068-0700 2010_02