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PREFACE
Jai Jinendra
Non-violence is the backbone and focal point of Jain philosophy. Non-violence (Ahimsä), non-absolutistic (Anekantavad) viewpoint, and non-possession / non-attachment (Aparigraha) are fundamental principles of Jainism. Nonviolence strengthens the proper conduct of every individual, non-absolutistic viewpoints strengthens right thinking of every individual, and non-possession strengthens the interdependence of all existence and provides harmony in society. If we observe these three principles in their true spirit, peace and harmony can certainly be attained within us as well as in the world.
Although not fully introduced to the western world, Jainism is India's oldest living religion. The basic principles of Jainism are scientific and the truths' presented in our scriptures are universal, however, their interpretations and applications have to be done in the context of time and space in which we find ourselves. In English-speaking countries where many Jains have settled permanently such as the USA, Canada, the UK, and Africa, children do not have access to Jain educational material. In an attempt to make Jain principles known globally, the educational materials must be widely made available in English. It is also necessary to publish Jain literature and educational materials in a variety of media (i.e. books, videos, cassettes, CDs, DVDs, and web deployment) for the English-speaking people interested in Jain philosophy, religion, and scriptures.
The JAINA Education Committee is pleased to present a set of JAINA Education books (revised 3rd edition) for all ages of students interested in learning Jainism. These books are grouped into four age levels: level 1 for elementary, level 2 for middle school, level 3 for high school, and level 4 for college students. The entire list of JAINA Education Series Books is listed in this section.
In 1995 and 1997, the first two editions of these books were published by a committee under the leadership of Dr. Premchand Gada of Lubbock, Texas. It took several years of dedicated hard work to compile and publish this series of books. The Jain community of North America has greatly benefited from this effort.
Under a new JAINA Education committee, this 3rd edition series has gone through major revisions incorporating suggestions received from various Päthashälä teachers, educators, and students from different centers. The new
JAIN ACTIVITY BOOK
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Jain Education International
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