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PREFACE
Preface Jai Jinendra, Jainism is a modern word to describe the ancient spiritual path of non-violence. The term Jain comes from the word 'Jina' which means 'spiritual victor'. It designates a person who is a conqueror of the inner enemies - anger, ego, deceit, greed, fear, attachment, and hatred.
The total Jain population is about 6 million in the world, which is less than 1% of the Indian population. In North America, there are an estimated 25,000 Jain families practicing the ancient traditions of this religion. At present there are 63 Jain centers and about 3500 Jain youth regularly attend the Päthashäläs.
Despite talks of the demise of Jainism due to the spread and acceptance of the Western culture, Jainism still is a widely practiced way of life by Jains of North America.
The reason Jainism is still followed by today's youth is not only due to their upbringing, but it is mainly a result of Jain Päthashäläs teaching Jain principles and values to our youth throughout North America.
It gives today's young generation a chance to understand Jainism on their terms and incorporate it in their lives to the best of their ability. Without Jain literature available
JAINISM I - BASICS OF JAINISM
Jain Education International
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www.jainelibrary.org
