Jain Digest 1991 11

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

Page 11

Meenakshi Jain undertook Deeksha
Miss Meenakshi Jain, a young talented girl of twenty-six years of age, comes from a well-educated and established family from Delhi. On October 23,1991 she undertook Deeksha at Veerayatan (Rajgir) as a disciple of Acharya Shree Chandanaji.
Meenakshi graduated with a degree in computer science from Delhi University. For the last five years she has been the main administrator for all the social and religious activities in Veerayatan. During that brief period she has studied Jainism in depth with an analytical comparative study of different religions. Meenakshi, a thinker as well as an orator, has, with her revered guru, travelled widely with a well-planned aim of producing religious awakening amongst the younger generation. She is the first Jain girl who has renounced the material world after having secured higher academic qualifications. Thousands attended the beautiful ceremony. Dr. Sulekh Jain, president of JAINA was among the many dignitaries that attended. This event is symbolic of how far Jainism has come. Be sure to look for another news brief in the next issue of the Jain Digest.
- Jain Digest - Scholars Visitation Program centers at San Francisco, Los
Angeles, Orlando, Atlanta, Houston, by Nirmal Dosi and Vimal Begwani Dallas, Toronto, Cleveland, Pitts
burgh, St. Louis, Chicago, New
Orleans, New York, and Cherry Scholars visitation program is one Hill, New Jersey. All together they of the most important activities visited more than fifteen Jain undertaken by JAINA. Under this centers in the USA and Canada. program, JAINA invites a highly During the last four months Samanis talented select group of scholars have been delivering discourses on from India on a lecture tour of North Jainism almost every day, some of America. This activity is coordi- them at various Jain Centers and nated by a committee of three
some of them at informal gatherpeople. The committee sets strict ings. We can say Samanis have been guide lines which are then passed delivering Lord Mahavir's message onto the potential scholars and also from house to house, published in the Jain Digest. The
Samanis introduced committee collects a list of potential Preksha-Dhyan (a form of meditascholars every year and makes the tion) at each center. Due to popular final selection. In cooperation from demand Samani had all day various centers, the committee Preksha-Dhyan programs at several makes the final schedule for these centers. scholars.
Many member organizations This year JAINA invited have expressed great interest in nine scholars: Bhattaraks Shree programs for young people and Charukeertiji and Davendra Keertiji. children. At each center, Samani Samnis Madhur Pajnaji and Mangal had several programs specially for Prajnaji, former UN ambassador children. Mr. N.P. Jain, All India Radio They gave lectures on basic Jain singer Mrs. Anita Jain, Sadhvis principles and explained use of Yashaji and Subhamji, and Kumari meditation in religion. Manglamji. Most scholars particpated in the sixth JAINA Bhattarak Shree Charukeertiji convention from July 4-6 in San Francisco.
Just like last year, Shree We are very pleased to note Bhattarakji visited and delivered a that like last year, this year's schol- sermon at every corner of the ars-visitation program was im
continent. During the last four mensely beneficial to all the mem- months Bhattarakji visited Jain ber organizations and to all the Jains centers at San Francisco, Los living in North America. During the Angeles, Detroit, Cincinnati, last four months, scholars covered Orlando, Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, every comer of this continent, Toronto, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, St. visited more than twenty centers and Louis, Chicago, New York, delivered Lord Mahavir's message Caldwell New Jersey, and Cherry of Ahimsa, aprigraha and anekant. Hill. At each center Bhattarakji Samanis
propounded the preaching of This was the second North Tatvartha Sutra and answered some America tour for Samani Madhur of the most touchy questions facing Prajnaji and the first for Samani Jains in this country. Bhattarakji Mangal Prajnaji. During the four performed Santi Puja at most of the month journey, Samanis visited Jain centers he visited.
Jain Education Intemational