Jain Digest 1992 10 Vol 19 No 04

SR No.: 527048
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Federation of JAINA
Publisher: USA Federation of JAINA
Publication Year: 1992
Total Pages: 28
Language: English
Classification: Magazine, USA_Jain Digest, & USA
File Size: 5 MB

Page 5

Jain Digest
Contents
quality and it would be unfortunate if we are forced to move in the opposite direction. We urgently need commitments of sponsorship for individual issues by a group of businesses, supplemented by our usual donors who have kept us going. Jaijinendra.
Surender K. Jain
From the Editor Vantage Point News and Announcements Founders of JAINA Calendar of Events Jain Celebrations Calendar Convention News International News Paryushan Parva Celebrations JAINA Committee News Youth Corner Education Matrimonials Letters Feature: Deepawali
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Vantage Point
20
From the Editor...
Messages of unity and progress relayed
Acharya Sushil Kumarji, in his opening remarks celebrating Kshama Yachna Day, reiterated that we are all one-whether we belong to one Jain Sangh or another, whether we believe in one sect or another. He emphatically urged all the members to forget their grievances and differences and act on the principle of Anekanvrad as true Jains. We should welcome this message and put all of our energies into making it happen, truly and honestly. His suggestion to fix the first Sunday after the Paryushan and Das Lakshan ceremony to hold the JAINA Executive Committee meeting along with Kshama Yachna at Siddhachalam was greeted enthusiastically by over 500 community members present that day. This was indeed heartening that International Mahavir Jain Mission invited their national bodyJAINA and
JAINA agreed to hold their meeting in Siddhachalam. Any perceived skepticism that IMJM and JAINA do not see eye to eye has been removed.
Gurudev Chitrabhanu, along with Acharya Sushil Kumarji, acknowledged the tremendous progress made by JAINA while putting the Jain community of the U.S. and Canada under one banner. Gurudev Chitrabhanu pointed to the contribution to the community made by the Boston Jain Center for publishing a Jain Directory and by JAINA for publishing, among others, the quarterly news magazine, the Jain Digest. Healso acknowledged the role of the Jain Study Circular in our community. All such publications create awareness. Gurudevji reminded the audience that these efforts need to be supported by each and every one through donations, however small. With due humbleness may I also makean appeal and request all of our readers that they may kindly send their annual donation regularly. We have fallen into the red and if this continues, I do not know what direction the Jain Digest will take. We are trying to improve and maintain
Will
Jainism Survive in North America? Sulekh C. Jain, President of JAINA
For the last several years, I have been visiting many Jain Centers in North America. During those visits, I not only try to meet the leaders of the local Jain community, but also many of our Jain youths. We talk about the issues, concerns and what our youths perceive the futureof Jainism in North America to be. I ask youths to write letters to the editor of the Jain Digest and also write to or call me about their views.
This summer, in two different cities, and two different times, two college-going (one a medical student and another a finance major) and concerned Jain youths engaged me in very interesting dialogues. They shared their concerns and vision openly and frankly, also recalled some of the youths' letters to the editor of the Jain Digest. Here is a sampling of what I read, listened to, observed and shared. I must caution that this is a summary of a very small sampling survey. I do not profess that this is universally true. However, this is a feedback. Let us see how we react to it.
Cultural Differences: While