________________
"And yet with all the freedom from want as well as opportunities knocking at the doorsteps for material progress and comforts, people do not have peace of mind or equanimity born of tolerance. Tensions, stress and distress fill the life of an average westerner. Our life and times are very fragile. It is here that Jainism has given me insight into reality and helped me to understand the purpose of human existence on this planet."
Robert Goodman has felt that Jain philosophy has served to satisfy the hunger for spiritual growth and meditation, occasional fasting, abstinence from drinking and smoking, and graduated detachment with plethora of luxuries has given him a feeling of 'spiritual prosperity' with recharged soul energy and extended self-realization about self-development through self-discipline. What has impressed him most after long discussions with me in New York and reading about Mahavir that Jainism teaches first and foremost to cut through your proud and at times vain ego and wake up to the gentle Jain spirit in you that knows no arrogance, condemnation, revenge or punishment. It carries the mighty power of all-inclusive compassion, piety and kindness.
It is to the credit of jains settled abroad that they
have not only been practicing their religion ritually, but have taken to actively propagating to non Jains the relevance of the rational, scientific and deeply benevolent message of Jain
philosophy in contemporary times when the world is confronted with ever-increasing violence, intolerance,
ethnic and racial discrimination, hatred,
greed, exploitation of have-nots and terrorism.
In this context, it is a happy augury that in about a quarter of a century, JAINA in North America has grown from an 'idea' into an 'institution' and from an 'institution' into a 'vibrant symbol of the unified and harmoniously integrated identity of Jain community and its increasing global spread and impact. I was happily associated in the early discussions and initiatives during my tenure as India's envoy to the U.N. in the seventies. I have with exultation observed constant consolidation and expansion of its activities not only for unifying the Jains abroad, but also taking meaningful initiatives in inter-faith deliberations as well as launching of humanitarian and environmental projects with abiding impact. In India also at the time of natural calamities like earthquake in Gujarat, tsunami catastrophe as well as for the disabled in Andhra Pradesh and elsewhere, JAINA has played a valuable role. Activists in JAINA have gained recognition at important inter-faith for a like the Parliament of Worlds' Religions, Sacred Earth Gathering and similar Inter-faith assemblies both at micro as well as macro levels.
Jain community was strongly represented at the 1993 Parliament of Worlds' Religions in Chicago. Leading saints from all sects, scholars and society leaders working in cohesion made a deep imprint by succeeding in enshrining in the Declaration on Global Ethic that non-violence and reverence for all forms of life and nature should be recognized globally as irrevocable principles of an emerging global ethic order. It is this achievement, which needs to be kept up in future by Jain community in India and abroad working together to advocate Jain ethical art of living as a model for humanity. There is unlimited potential for taking up environmental up gradation projects in needy communities, help for the disabled and the handicapped, healthcare for animals, education projects for the poor and so on. There is unlimited scope for such activities and splendid examples of initiatives being taken by several Jain trusts and institutions. <>
14th Biennial JAINA convention 2007
43
PEACE THROUGH DIALOGUE
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
