Ahimsa Varsh 2600th Birth Anniversary of Mahavir Swami

Author(s): Naresh Jain, P Jayaraman
Publisher: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan

Page 59

Temple of spiritual knowledge
he Jain Vishva Bharati Institute (Deemed
University) is a tranquil haven of knowledge and spirituality in the semiarid desert of central Rajasthan.
At the headquarters of the Terapanth Jains in Ladnun, Rajasthan, the only building that vaguely resembles a temple serves as the administrative wing of the Jain Vishva Bharati Institute (Deemed University). In many ways the Institute, established in 1972 by the late Acharya Tulsi, is a manifestation of the spirit and beliefs of a sect which does not believe in, yet does not condemn, building temples.
The religious beliefs of the order are expressed through the graduate and post graduate programmes offered by the Institute: Jainology, Comparative Religion & Philosophy, Non-Violence & Peace Studies, Science of Living, Social Work. All its courses, while rooted in the bedrock of ancient scriptures, strive to be relevant to modern realities. And where the Institute is uniquely different from educational institutes around the world is that the spiritual development of its students is as
important as imparting knowledge and sharpening their intellect.
The prospectus of the Institute sums up the essence of its approach:
Without moral and spiritual education, no amount of material advancement can bring about peace in individual, family, community or international relations. Wars are the product of the mind and peace will also have to be found in the mind.
Indeed, the words of Lord Mahavir: Nanassa Saram Ayaro (Right conduct is the essence of knowledge) are the motto and guiding light of the Institute.
It is around this temple of knowledge that the 60-acre campus, an oasis of green tranquility in the semi-arid desert of central Rajasthan, revolves. Facilities here include a library stocked with over 40,000 books and 5,000 rare manuscripts, an art gallery, a 60-room meditation and yoga center, separate hostels for boys and girls, an English medium secondary school, computer center, as well as a bank, printing press, canteen and an Ayurvedic center.
The university community, apart from the administrative
staff, comprises a faculty of 22 and 60 students and only 10 percent of them are Jains. Regardless of their origins, all are required to follow a strict code of conduct: abstinence from smoking, drinking and violence, pure vegetarianism, participation in morning prayers, meditation and yoga, love and respect for all living things both on and off the campus.
"We are not in the numbers game and are well aware that these requirements, combined with the fact that most of the degree courses are not exactly job oriented, may result in low enrollment. However, what we are attempting to achieve here is very relevant as it becomes increasingly important that we do not lose sight of man's spiritual destiny in today's world of modern technology and growing materialism," says S. Bengani, the Kulpati or Chancellor of the Institute.
In addition to its graduate and postgraduate studies, the Institute also conducts a 3month residential course in meditation and yoga. Students who undertake this training course are accommodated in the 60-room meditation center and are expected to follow a stringent
59 For Personal & Private Use Only