Jain Center Los Angeles CA 2008 09 Pratishta Souvenior

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

Page 73

The Impact of Shrimad Rajchandra on Mahatma Gandhi & Jainism
Shrimad Rajchandra (1868-1901), an ardent follower of Bhagwan Mahavirswami's philosophy, was born about 140 years ago in the port of Vavania, in Gujarat. At the tender age of seven, he attained Jaatismaran Gnan.
Dr. Pravin L. Shah
Shrimadji began composing his own spiritual writings of great merit at a very early age. At age 16, he composed his great text "Mokshmala." It contains the entire Jain philosophy in a nutshell. Shrimad Rajchandra gave us the immortal "Aatmasiddhi Shastra" of 142 gathas in simple Gujarati language. Shrimadji's biggest contribution to Jain literature and philosophy is his more than 900 letters written to his disciples, compiled in a book called "Vachanamrut." Pandit Sukhlalji has said, "Since Acharya Haribhadra (1200 A.D.), no other Jain luminary has impacted the lives of so many people including Gandhiji, as Shrimad Rajchandra has. Each of Shrimadji's 900 letters can be expanded into 900 texts of great merit."
Many people benefited from Shrimadji's enormous spiritual powers and blessings. Mahatma Gandhi came in very close contact with Shrimadji for a few years after returning as a lawyer from England. Gandhiji was in search of a religious teacher and he found no solace with anyone until he met Shrimadji. Gandhiji writes in his autobiography, "I have learned a lot from the teachings of Tolstoy and Ruskin. But I have learned the greatest lesson of spirituality and non-violence from Shrimad Rajchandra. While Rajchandra lived the life of a householder (Gruhastha), he was a real Muni and true Vitrag at heart with astonishing powers of memory, depth of spiritual knowledge of all religions, and was a live example of compassion, honesty, and saintliness of the highest order any man can ever achieve."
When Gandhiji was in South Africa, he had been impressed by the missionary spirit of the Christian people and considered a conversion. He presented his dilemma to Shrimadji, who guided him well and restored Gandhiji's faith in the Hindu religion. The main source for Gandhiji's enormous strength in leading India toward a non-violent fight for freedom was the teachings of Shrimad Rajchandra to practice Ahimsa in every walk of life.
Shrimadji's equanimity and respect toward all the great religions is so well admired today, that his writings have been translated into English and Hindi, and are studied popularly by people of all faiths. In his epic work "Aatmasiddhi Shastra", for example, Shrimadji provides step-by-step guidance for a spiritual student to withdraw from sects, dogmas and 'blind' ritualistic following, and to lead a simple life with an emphasis on self knowledge through Sadguru. In this epic work, Shrimadji has provided logical definitions for many spiritual terms in easy-to-understand words for a non-educated person. One does not need the knowledge of Sanskrit or Prakrit to understand Shrimadji's teachings. This is perhaps his biggest gift to the Mumukshu.
Shrimadji's letters reflect his inner quest for attaining the highest form of pure consciousness in a short life span of 33 years. Each letter reflects Shrimadji's deep feeling of detachment (Vairagya) from the world and the yogic state of his Aatmasamadhi. His teachings possess enormous divine powers to awaken an aspirant for spiritual awareness. To a serious reader of Jain scriptures, Shrimadji's writings remind one of the works of the most eminent Masters in Jain history like Samant Bhadra, Kundkund, and Haribhadra Acharyas. Shrimadji's immortal teachings in the Gujarati language are priceless for anyone interested in understanding the true and original path of self realization. Furthermore, Shrimadji's writings represent the exact words of Lord Mahavir, as he was able to recall all the moments of his association (Satsang) with the Mahavir Swami. In this respect, after 2600 years, Shrimad Rajchandra has brought the true message of Lord Mahavir for the Mumukshu, and has reopened the original divine path for eternal spiritual awareness.
In summary, Shrimadji's teachings impacted Mohandas K. Gandhi, who became Mahatma Gandhi, inspired by the saintly life of Shrimad Rajchandra. Similarly, the Jain followers who had forgotten the 'Mulmarg' of Lord Mahavir, and were blinded by the dogmas, sects and ritualistic practices, have been shown a divine light by Shrimadji to follow the true and original Mokshmarg of Lord Mahavir.
Dr. Pravin L. Shah resides in Reading, Pennsylvania.
My Pathshala teachers have taught me about building character, and also what is right and wrong.
Shivani Shah, 9