JAINA Convention 1999 07 Philadelphia

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

Page 93

#
SAMARPAN SAIN
J
SANGH
GURUDEV CHITRABHANU
Devendra T. Peer
Gurudev Chitrabhanu is the "Columbus" who brought Jainism to this new world in 1971, the first Jain master to do so in more than 2500 years. Today he is our Keynote Speaker. His life story is an inspiring account of how he touched thousands of lives in new lands.
COMPASSION
What draws people to him is his healing and compassionate advice that flows from an understanding of human affairs derived from long years of deep meditation and practical living in the modem world. It is as if any man's suffering diminishes him. He himself has to do something to alleviate it. "Never stand to know, for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee."
MAHATMA GANDHI
Gurudev was born on July 26, 1922 in a village in Rajputana (Rajasthan, India). He attended college at Bangalore and earned a Bachelor's degree. His spirit of adventure and idealism led him to meet Mahatma Gandhi. Young Rup Rajendra Shah was beaten by British police for participating in India's Freedom Movement. He was hospitalized. In a face to face meeting, he found himself forgiving the policeman who had hurt him. Something had happened that day. Mohandas Gandhi's AHIMSA' (non-violence) had touched him.
INITIATION
The seed of 'Ahimsa' flowered in the religious soil in his fathers' home. He began to seek out Masters who could enlighten him. He found the renowned Jain Master Acharya Sagaranand Surishvarji at Palitana. Inspired by him, Rup - Rajendra took Diksha (initiation) on February 6, 1942 at the age of 20 and became a Jain monk. He took five vows: always tell the truth, never cause any harm to anyone, not to possess anything, keep perfect chastity, and live daily on alms.
For the next 29 years, he would be known as Muni Chandraprabha Sagarji. In extraordinary solidarity, his father, who had a clothing store in Tumkur, soon joined him and became a
monk as well.
10th Biennial JAINA Convention
TRAINING
As a young monk, he began his rigorous training under the illustrious guru. He began to learn Sanskrit and Prakrit. He studied the 'Agamas' (Jain scriptures), 'Yogashastra', and practiced 'Upayoga'. He learned the art of healing. He trained himself to control mind by overcoming anger, fear, and jealousy, the powerful enemies of man.
Gurudev narrated a spiritual event from his days of Training. There was one monk who could not fast. One day the monk sat down to eat. Others started commenting on his inability to fast. With each bite, he meditated on each of his fellow monks, praising them in his heart for their good qualities and self-control.
As he was eating, he offered fervent prayer silently to his guru to teach him self-control. The guru, who was in another room, felt his prayer and came over to the dining room. He saw the fasting monks making fun of him.
PHILADELPHIA, PA
97
J
LAINISM
I
N
Z
THE
NEW
MILLENNIUM