Gandhi And Jainism

Author(s): Shugan C Jain
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

Page 42

claimed to have attained Self-realisation in June, 1958 at Surat railway station while sitting on a bench at platform number 3. However this was not revealed initially by him. After A.M. Patel's Self-realization experience, a close relative began to address him by the spiritual name of Dada (a Gujarati term for "Revered Grandfather") Bhagwan (Lord) became his spiritual name. DadaBhagwan formed a movement which he termed Akram Vignan. Unlike the step-by-step purification according to Jain principles, Akram Vignan promises instant salvation through the grace of Lord Simandhar Swami (Jain tirthnkara now present in MahaVideha region), for whom Dada Bhagwan serves as a medium. His movement is regarded to be a form of Jain-Vaishnava syncretism, a development analogous to the Mahayana in Buddhism.(Peter flugel) Ibid; in Rajkot, however, I got an early grounding in toleration for all branches of Hinduism and sister religions." My.Ex. p. 31 Jain monks would also pay frequent visits to my father, and would even go out of the way to accept food from us non-Jains. They would have talks with my father on subjects religious and mundane. Ibid,p.4 As far as my memory can go back, I do not remember her having ever missed the Chaturmas. She would take the hardest vows and keep them without flinching. Illness was no excuse for relaxing them. .... To keep two or three consecutive fasts was nothing to her. Living on one meal a day during Chaturmas was a habit with her. Not content she would fast every alternate day during one Chaturmas.... Manorama , śāntidūta Gāndhi(Government of India: Publications Division, 1997), p. 1 Ibid page 38 My.Ex. , op.cit., p.31 "Jain monks would pay frequent visits to my father, and would even go out of way to accept food from us-non Jains. They would have talks with my father on subjects religious and mundane." Ibid, p.188
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