Jain Center Los Angeles CA 2008 09 Pratishta Souvenior

Author(s): Jain Center So CA Los Angeles
Publisher: USA Jain Center Southern California

Page 185

Hasendra Shah
Swadhyayas - A Journey to the Inner Self through Jain Philosophical Discussions....
THE JAIN CENTER OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA IS A PLACE WHERE SWADHYAYS ARE DONE ALMOST EVERY DAY AND ONE CAN PICK AND CHOOSE A DAY AND TYPE OF TOPIC HE OR SHE LIKES. SEVERAL KNOWLEDGEABLE COMMUNITY MEMBERS TAKE THE LEAD AND TRY TO DEVOTE THE TIME IN CONDUCTING THESE SESSIONS AND MOTIVATE THE PARTICIPANTS TO PRACTICE SOME OF THE ASPECTS THEY LEARN. IN ADDITION TO THIS, SPECIAL SHIBIRS ARE CONDUCTED TO FOCUS ON SPECIAL TOPICS LIKE THE NINE REALS AND TWELVE VOWS IN THE JAIN CENTER AND OTHER LOCATIONS.
ALTERNATE SUNDAY SWADHYAYS HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND INDEPTH LEARNING OF UMA SWATI'S TATVARTHA SUTRA IS CONDUCTED BY SHRI GIRISHBHAI SR. THIS HAS HELPED MANY IN PROVOKING THEIR THOUGHT PROCESS AND APPRECIATION OF JAIN PHILOSOPHY IN THEIR DAILY LIVES.
SHRI GIRISHBHAI ALSO CONDUCTS MONDAY SWADHAYAY, WHERE CURRENTLY IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION OF ADHYTMASAR IS TAKING PLACE. IT IS NOT SIMPLY A DISCUSSION, IN THAT IT HELPS PEOPLE TO RELATE TO THEIR LIFESTYLES, HOW TO ADDRESS ISSUES AND SOLVE THEIR DILEMMAS.
SWADHYAYS SESSION ON TUESDAY, WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY MOTIVATED BY PUJYA SUNANDABEN VHORA, IS BEING CONDUCTED BY SHRI MAHENDRABHAI KHNADHAR. ORIGINALLY THIS SESSION WAS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF TATVA PHILOSOPHY SO THESE PARTICIPANTS CAN EASILY JOIN IN SUNDAY'S ONGOING SESSIONS. HAVING DONE THE NINE REALS SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE BENEFIT OF PARTICIPANTS, THIS SESSION IS CURRENTLY STUDYING "TATVA MIMANSA," WHICH IS AN EASY TO UNDERSTAND COMMENTARY OF TATVARTH SUTRA.
SWADHYAY SESSION ON THURSDAY IS CONDUCTED BY SHRI NARESHBHAI PALKHIWALA. IT ORIGINALLY STARTED A LONG TIME BACK BUT BECAME A REGULAR SESSION IN JAIN CENTER SINCE 1994. SHRI NARESHBHAI LEADS AN IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION OF SAMAYSAR, A HIGHLY RESPECTED GRANTH OF PUJYA ACHARYA KUNDKUNDACHARYA.
A NEW SESSION RECENTLY GOT STARTED ON FRIDAY, WHICH STARTED AS A DISCUSSION GROUP IN A HOME AND THEN MOVED TO THE JAIN CENTER. THIS SESSION IS CONDUCTED BY RAJNIBHAI MODY. CURRENTLY THIS SWADHYAY REVIEWS AND DISCUSSES THE WRITINGS OF BRAHMACHARIJI AND LAGHURAJ SWAMI. IN THE ABSENCE OF RAJNIBHAI THIS CLASS IS CONDUCTED BY MAHENDRABHAI KHANDHAR.
AN ENCOURAGING DEVELOPMENT WAS THE EVOLUTION OF THE JAIN STUDY GROUP WHICH RESULTED FROM THE DESIRE OF SOME YOUNG ADULTS WANTING AN IN-DEPTH STUDY OF JAINISM IN ENGLISH. PRAVIN MEHTA, PALLAVI GALA AND RAJNIBHAI MODY ARE THE LEADING CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS SESSION. THIS SESSION HELPS YOUTH IN UNDERSTANDING JAIN PHILOSOPHY AND INTEGRATING AND APPLYING IT IN THEIR MAINSTREAM LIFESTYLE.
THE JAIN CENTER IS VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE ALL THESE GUJARATI AND ENGLISH SWADHYAYS BEING CONDUCTED AND ATTENDED BY SO MANY. ALL OF US FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THESE ACTIVITIES WILL BE BENEFICIAL FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
In Pathshala, we learned not to kill animals because they are living beings and they deserve to have a life and be free. Sanam Desai, 7