ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 04

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

Page 61

Siddhachalam
Acharya Sushil Muni came to the U.S. and Canada in 1975 along with a few monks. In 1983 he established an ashram at Siddhachalam in Blairstown, New Jersey. This 108 acres of hilltop property is located near the Pocono mountains and provides the ideal peaceful environment for the practice and study of the science of Arhurn Yoga. Siddhachalam is a resident community of monks and nuns, laymen and laywomen. It is the headquarters for the International Mahavir Jain Mission, the World Fellowship of Religions and Kundalini Science Center, all founded by Sushil Muni. A newly built temple, inaugurated in 1992 housed deities of various Tirtha karas. In cooperation with the Federation of JAINA, a chair in Jainology will be established in 1993 at Columbia University, NYC.
Jain Study Circle
The circle was established in 1987 to propagate the fundamental principles of Jainism through publication of the quarterly Jain Study Circular and other literature, and organization of study groups and seminars. Prior to 1987, the Circular was published by the Jon Center of Boston. The first issue of it was published in 1980. It is distributed to about 5000 families at no cost. Dr. Dulichand Jain is the editor of the magazine.
Federation of JAINA
The Federation of Jain Associations in North America (JAINA) was founded 1981, running 4 Jain centers. Being an umbrella organization, its objective is to provide a form to foster fellowship and unity among numerous Jain associations and to take up religious causes and issues" that will benefit its member associations. The Federation has been publishing a quarterly Jain Digest since 1985 and distributing to about 5500 families at no cost. The editor-in-chief is Dr. Grinder Jain of Athens, Ohio. It organizes a biennial convention in July and the 7th convention will be organized in Pittsburgh in 1993. Two Jain libraries have been established in Lubbock, Texas (under the leadership of Dr. Prom Gada) with about 5000 books and journals, and in Toronto with more than 500 books. Young Jains of America, a national organization, has been founded under the leadership of Dr. Urmila Talsania to encourage Jain youth to participate in the religious activities.
The Federation sponsors scholars, monks, nuns, Bhattaraks, shramans and shramanis from India to lecture in North America. Dr: Nathmal Tatia of Ladnun, India was a visiting professor at Harvard University and taught courses on Jainology during 1990-91. There are a lot of other activities sponsored by JAINA such as publication of Jain literature, a youth exchange program between the U.K. and North America, contacts with Jains in other countries and promotion through news media. Dr. Sulekh Jain is the President of the Federation (1989-93) and has devoted a lot of his time to achieving the objectives.
Bramhi Society
Bramhi Society was established in 1989 by a group of twelve individuals from the U.S. and Canada to make a contribution in a contemporary environment to the study and promotion of Jain reflection in the West. It has begun the publication of Jinamanjari, a semiannual journal, with the first issue in October, 1990. Mr. S.A.B. Kumar of Toronto is the founder and editor-in-chief of the journal.
These organizations and associations are important indeed, but at the same time the onus falls squarely upon ordinary Jain men and women who live the life of the American way - "the laity." In Christian parlance "laity" means those not ordained priests, or deacon or minister. Strictly speaking; Christian monks and nuns are laity. Accurate use in Jain terms yields a very different meaning. In Jain terms it means those not monks or nuns. But Jainism consists of an intimate symbiosis (dwelling together, inter-living as well as living with) of four orders, namely, female and male renouncers, women and men. In the American situation the onus of being Jain and bringing Jain truth to the world around inevitably falls on the later two. Similarly the matter of keeping up the symbiosis with the ascetics is largely their task. Ordinary Jain people in North America and Britain do not understand their own importance as propagators of Jain principles and in history. They are pioneers. Recently
Page 51 of 556
STUDY NOTES version 4.0