JAINA Convention 1999 07 Philadelphia

Author(s): Federation of JAINA
Publisher: USA Federation of JAINA

Page 69

SAMARPAN
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ACHARYA SUSHIL KUMARJI MAHARAJ - Guruji - A Short Profile
Guruji established the first and the only Jain Tirth outside of India at Siddhachalam. His spiritual guidance and leadership had a major impact and history will trace the beginning of an age of Jain renaissance to Guruji.
10th Biennial JAINA Convention
Guruji equated religion with spirituality and all his teachings as well as his own life reflect that conviction.
Guruji was actively involved in inter-faith understanding and global peace movements. In India, he played a very leading and constructive role and was actively involved in the mediating for peace in Punjab during the late eighties. He also played a leading role in the Ayodhya - Ram Janmabhumi mediation in the early nineties. This work continued to the last minutes of his life.
Guruji was the first Jain monk to leave the shores of India and the first Jain monk who used mechanical transportation. He opened the doors for many other monks and nuns who were to follow.
Guruji was revered by Jains all over the world. He was also greatly revered by Hindus as well as by Christians, Sikhs and Muslims. This was one of the main reasons why he was always successful as a mediator and was acceptable to all sides irrespective of their faiths and beliefs. Guruji himself said that we are all Hindus and that Hindu was not a religion but a
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