ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 01

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

Page 173

SCHOOL
TIONAL
OF
SELF STUDY IS THE
SUPREME AUSTERITY,
भाध्याय परम
AN STUDIES
treatment cum training for this. JVBI even offers post graduate degree in science of Living to over 300 students every year.
Jains being practitioners of non-violence are primarily vegetarians and hence preach through lectures, seminars and publicity media benefits of vegetarian diet. A number o animal shelters and homes /hospitals, like at Lal Mandir, Delhi, Pavagiri (Distt. Sirohi) in Rajasthan are shining examples of such Jain initiatives.
iii. Weaker section of society
There are a number of institutes, run primarily by individuals or a religious body, all over India to provide training in crafts for women to become economically independents, orphanages, to provide monthly rations for sustenance of poor families and old age homes. Jain orphanage and Mahila Ashrama in Darya Ganj Delhi, Adinath Mahila Samiti Jaipur are some of the examples of such organizations. Then there are organizations like Phoolwati Trust in Delhi who run school for women particularly in Madangir Delhi and distribute rations for the poor people.
iv. Ecology, Disaster management
Bhartiya Jain Sangathana of Pune undertakes extensive disaster rehabilitation program on a professional cum charitable basis. There are other Jain organizations, like Veerayatan are executing extensive project in Gujarat to completely rehabilitate a large section of people after the earthquake hit its Kutch area also. Almost all Jains and Jain organizations singly come forward whenever there is a need for assistance on such occasions. Concerning ecology, Jains preach their doctrine of Ahimsa as given by Mahāvīra wherein he talks of air, water, earth, fire and plants as one sensed living beings and need to be protected to be fully ahimsaka,
v. Research in art, philosophy and religion, art literature
Contribution of Jain in arts (Dilwara, Bahubali idol in Karnataka, Ellora caves, UdaygiriKhandgiri caves in Orissa, Gopachal and Dev Garh in Madhya Pradesh, Jaisalmer temples etc) are shining examples of Jain contribution to Indian art heritage. Almost all museums of India are incomplete without having some relics of Jain heritage.
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STUDY NOTES version 5.0