Current State of Jain Dharm and Feature Challenges for Feature Generations

SR No.: 269155
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Dharmraj Khot
Publisher: Dharmraj Khot
Total Pages: 6
Language: English
Classification: Article & 0_not_categorized
File Size: 236 KB

Page 1

|| Swasti Siddham, Namo Siddhanam||
The current State of Jain Dharma and Challenges for Future Generations
By Dharmaraj Khot
Boston, MA
The global convergence of cultures and explosion of information has had significant impact on personal, family and societal attitudes towards how religion, principles and practices are viewed, thought and lived. This essay examines the effects of such changes on family values, religious beliefs and relevance of Jain Dharma in the current age of information (internet, social networking, smartphone, etc.,) that is transforming world every day.
The world continues to shrink in terms of political, cultural, social and moral boundaries due to the transformational impact of information technology that has localized the global world. The advent and subsequent explosion of information technology has brought the world together in a way unknown to past generations. This new "openness" has brought many opportunities and challenges along the way as information explosion of any kind (good or bad) has no boundaries. While the localized globalization has thrown open the endless possibilities in spreading the message of Jain Dharma, it also has had the crippling effect on attitudes and beliefs of Jain families. This shift in the attitude cannot be blamed on the new phenomenon, but rather on the perceptions and resulting misinterpretations of Jain families with respect to the role and importance of religion in their personal lives. The behavioral changes are impacting the current fabric of Jain practices, while having an unrealized harmful impact on the personal conduct of individuals.
The great Jain Acharya Shri Samantbhadra declared that "Sotyeti Dharmamatmin, Na Dharmo Dharmikair Vinah" - Religion (Dharma) cannot exist separately without a religious person, implying that the religiosity of living beings is itself an evidence of the existence of Dharma and that the two cannot be separated. One can further deduce that the rise and decline of Dharma is associated with the rise and decline of a religious person or the religiosity of the entire community, because the religiosity of community is nothing but a collection of religious actions and behaviors of the community put together as a whole.
The current and evolving behaviors and practices of Jains, whether as an individual, family or as a society, appear to indicate a troubled, confused and a systematic decline of the glorious religion of Jinas. The current plight of Jains is evident in the following patterns that are increasing at an alarming pace which are putting in question the longevity of Vitraag Jain Dharma:
• Laxity in living the Jain values (Personal Conduct)
Systematic erosion of interest in Jain Dharma as a family (Family Conduct)
Further divisions in the community due to sectarian and sub-sectarian interests (Societal Conduct)
Shri Ratnakarand Shravakachaar, Shloka 9
Spiritual conquerors who establish the four-fold order of Jain Dharma and the Jain Philosophy