Jain Society Lansing MI 2000 05 Pratistha

SR No.: 528511
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jain Center Lansing MI
Publisher: USA Jain Center Lansing MI
Publication Year: 2000
Total Pages: 108
Language: English
Classification: Magazine, USA_Souvenir Jain Center MI Lansing, & USA
File Size: 4 MB

Page 9

Shah, Ashok Choksi, Niranjan Shah, Nalin Shah, Prafulla Shah, Sharad Shah, Chuni Gala, Jayesh Mehta and Dipti Shah) whose encouragement and promise of all-out-help in putting together the initial program and getting us the jump start was very timely. With the support of the Detroit community in addition to the unconditional support of the Greater Lansing Indian Community, and of the Board of Trustees of the Bharatiya Temple of Lansing, we set the date to achieve our dream on the 28th day of May 2000.
We the Jain community of Lansing are fortunate to be part of the Greater Lansing Indian community, which has been very supportive and understanding. The Bharatiya Temple of Lansing is serving the community representing different yet compatible religious faiths. Jainism maintains that harmony. The values of Jain religion are based on five vows viz. - non-violence, devotion to truth, non-stealing, celibacy and nonpossession. The heart of Jainism is non-violence. Ahimsa is one of the basic virtues; therefore, not only physical or mental injury to life should be avoided, but also all possible kindness should be shown towards all living beings. We need to strive for "Live and Help Others Live" and not just for "Live and Let Live" or "Love and Let Live". Every individual is indebted to the universal society of all living beings since the living beings render service to one another. Jainism also advocates non-imposition of one's own thoughts or views on others, and reconciliation of the thoughts or viewpoints of others with one's own. This is possible when one recognizes the grain of truth in what others say, for truth is relative. Another great vow of non-stealing emphasizes that we should not take anything that is not given to us while that on celibacy points the thirst for sensual pleasures to be the cause of all physical and mental miseries of the world. Jainism considers possession to be the source of evil since it enslaves man to external things. The wants and desires have no end and only the sky is the limit for them as said by Lord Mahavira. Jainism believes in the potential divinity of man and that all humanity is one. In essence, it preaches amity towards all beings, compassion for the miserables and detachment towards possessions. Anekantavada (non-absolutism) is the heart of Jainism and shows how to respect the opinions of others. It establishes unity in diversity. The Bharatiya Temple of Lansing recognizes this unity in diversity.
The organization of the Pratishtha Mahotsava would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of the ten Pratishtha Committees and numerous unsung heroes volunteering their services from our community, the Detroit Jain community and out-oftown friends. The chairs, co-chairs and the committee members deserve my sincere thanks for their extremely hard work in making this event a success. Also, my thanks to all our Jain and non-Jain friends for their generous donations and pledges; my mother, Shrimati Bhanwar Devi Tholia for donating the murti of Bhagavan Shri Parsvanath; Urvish and Hina Shah for donating Chandarvo for Bhagavan Shri Mahavir; Padmani Karna and other sponsors of Shri Purushottam Das Jalota's program; The Jain Society of Greater Detroit for lending us several items for use during Pratishtha; Gurudev Shri Chitrabhanuji and Bhattaraka Shri Devendrakeerty Swamiji for enlightening us with their pravachans; Shri Narendrabhai Nandu and his group for performing various religious ceremonies; Shilpakalamani Muthiah Sthapathy and his shilpis for designing and building the beautiful sanctum; Shri Madhu Sudan Sharma, Shri Man Mohan Bohra and Shrimati Sushila Kumbhat for arranging Bhagavan Mahavir's murti; all gifted and talented artists, young and old, for their contributions to the cultural activities; Shri Sharad Shah for
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