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Acharya Tulsi: Birth Centennial of an Engaged Spiritualist
- Samani Unnata Pragya
religious dogmas, spirituality without religion, propounding universal religion was a paradigm shift in the sectarian frenzy world. He marched to President's residence to farmer's field with the slogan, "Self-restraint is survival". Humanitarian Tulsi breathed Anuvrat, to liven every slumber soul of the immoral world.
We celebrate the birth centennial of the harbinger of morality, His Holiness Acharya Tulsi. Legacy of this day dreamer, converting impossible to inevitable, starts in the soil of India, born in small town, Ladnun, Rajasthan in 1914. This gifted child, at a tender age of eleven, committed his entire life to nonviolence, the path of Jain asceticism. Very soon he won over the trust of Acharya Kalugani, his Guru. Tulsi grew up into a brave, brilliant, intellectual and spiritually vigilant monk. At the young age of 22, Tulsi's infringing vitality coroneted him as the 9th Acharya of Terapanth order in 1936.
Acharya Tulsi, an epitome of spirituality was an engaged spiritualist. Engaged spirituality means, a spiritual effort which yields not mere self-realization for the person himself or herself but impacts the other in escalating the other into spirituality. Like Gandhi fasted. Gandhi's fasting was far more fetching for the country's peace and nonviolence. Acharya Tulsi's passion for Jain Unity was so high that he resolved to quit sugar until Jain Unity is fetched to some extent. Our pride, one Jain flag was a spirited inspiration of Acharya Tulsi.
Such was the might of Gurudev Tulsi that his golden jubilee celebration was but a movement of empowerment and cultural de-stigmatization. The struggle and passion of Gurudev Tulsi was his engaged spirituality which unveiled women, empowered with courage and enlightened for cultural uplift by nayamoda i.e. movement for social reformation. These women now efficiently and magnificently are enterprising projects like save girl, adopt villages, adopt child education, donate limbs and more.
Acharya Tulsi's dynamic leadership exposed the un-trodden path of social progress. In 1948, Anuvrat movement emerged, with the watchword of purifying socio political structure. The audacious endeavor to resonate the voice of "religion beyond
With the conviction of empowering the verdicts of ahimsa, Acharya Tulsi commenced the training for a spiritual life, an ascetic trained for asceticism by establishing the institute Parmarthik Shikshan Sansthan in 1948. He sought to rediscover Jain meditation with Acharya Mahaprajna which led to evolve the scientific technique of Preksha Dhyan or Meditation in 1962 for self-realization. The essence of humanity, unshackled from the sectarian clutches was presented on academic platform as Jeevan Vigyan i.e. Science of Living. A value based education, with the mission of education for enlightened citizens; an integrated balanced personality.
Envisaging the need of the future, in 1980, commenced a unique milestone in the entire history of Jain tradition; the Saman order, a modern asceticism to spread the preaching's of Jainism worldwide. Saman and Samani's reached far and wide, states and countries, universities and organizations to echo the voice of Mahavir. This group is established in the society rendering its multi-dimensional services in the field of education, administration (as Vice chancellor, Head of Departments, Principal and Director and on other academic and administrative posts with the pursuit of spiritual realization and ascetic rules in the personal life.
Jain values and cultural survival was aimed at by a seven point program which includes education, service, penance, Jain values, research, literature, and harmonious living as a mission of Jain Vishva Bharati organization founded in 1970.
Jainism: The Global Impact
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