Jain Digest 1994 03 Vol 10 No 01

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

Page 10

by being away from the family as well as by avoiding such distracting influences as TV and video games, the children were able to learn and grasp an impressive amount of religious knowledge in such a short time. Ten students were recognized for achieving the highest scores in three different age groups. In addition to the classroom studies, the children were allowed ample free time to enjoy the surroundings of the campsite, to go on hiking, as well as to make new friends and develop fellowships among the participants.
JAYA, Jain Association of Young Adults, has been formed to coordinate social and religious activities, as well as to share experience and knowledge of mutual interest between young adults of age 18 and over. Kalyanji Mota (714) 527-2836 is coordinating the formation effort.
In November 1994, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art will present a landmark exhibition, The Peaceful Liberators: Jain Art from India, which will illustrate the Jain principles, teachings, mythology, and cosmology. The exhibition will include educational and community outreach programs, and will travel to Fort Worth, New Orleans and London.
Jain Center donated over $7,000 to the Maharastra Earthquake Relief Fund through JAINA. Donations to help the victims of the devastating earthquake which struck the Los Angeles area on January 17 can be sent to JAINA or the Southern California Jain Center. For further information please contact Hasendra Shah (310) 404-2851.
San Diego, CA
Jain Society has elected new committee directors which include Praful Doshi, Deepak Kothari, Manoj Maniar, Rohit Saraiya, and Kamlesh Shah. Jayshri Shah and Sudha Vora have been elected to the food committee.
With an objective of preserving and passing on our Jain heritage to the younger generation, the Jain Society has initiated swadhiya for adults and pathshala for children. Kokila Doshi led a swadhiya session on Samayika - Importance of Sambhav. Deepak Kothari led a discussion on Pratikraman and Twelve Vratas. The first pathshala, organized for two age groups, was well attended.
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San Francisco, CA
One more chapter was written in the history of Jain Center of Northern California when it organized a five-months visit by Saman Sthithprajna and Saman Shrutprajna to the Bay area. The visit from May 21 to November 20, 1993, the longest stay of any Jain scholar in North America, was a phenomenal success. During their stay, Samans carried out a three dimensional program of Anuar(minor vows pertaining to common people), Preksha Dhyan (meditation technique), and Jivan Vigyan (science of living) initiated by Acharya Shri Tulsi from Ladnun, Rajasthan, India.
Upon their arrival, Samans participated in many programs and activities including lectures on Jain philosophy, Preksha Dhyan classes, camps, picnic with religious discourses, and celebration of Puryushan Purve and Mahavir Nirvana. In addition, Saman Stithprajnaji delivered lectures at various universities and organizations where the audience was mainly non-Jains and Americans.
Shri Acharya Tulsi's successor designate, Yuvacharya Mahaprajnaji. developed Preksha Dhyan meditation technique after intense study of books on Jainism and conducting experiments on himself for over two decades. Preksha Dhyan improves and enhances physical, social, mental, emotional, intellectual, occupational and spiritual health, and with regular practice, can open the door of moksha.
Several teachers who had been previously trained by Samans, trained 35 new students for the "train-the-trainer" course on Preksha Dhyan meditation. The training course on advanced Preksha Dhyan techniques was offered for the first time outside of India. Preksha Dhyan classes in Hindi, Gujarati and English are now being conducted throughout the Bay area.
Over 60 lectures delivered by the Samans covered a wide spectrum of subjects including Navkar Mantra, Nav Tatava, Karmavad, Science of Living, Anuvrat and others. Saman Shri Sthithprajna would begin a session with a prayer, ten minutes of meditation, and a geetika, followed by a 90-minutes lecture on the main topic. The lecture material was well organized. Saman is a lively orator and uses humor, appropriate examples, scientific basis, and common sense Jain philosophy to explain and
JAIN DIGEST
simplify the subject matter. The lectures have been recorded on audio tapes.
About 45 people attended a threeday Preksha Dhyan camp organized at Sands Motel in Dunnigan, Ca. About 500 people attended a picnic which included Preksha Dhyan meditation, yogic exercises, and lectures by Samans and Kiranbhai Parekh.
During their entire stay, the Samans were able to keep the interest and spirit of the whole community alive and vibrant. Their visit provided a continuous opportunity to learn, to understand, to practice and to realize the benefits of Jainism. Everyone was very impressed by their in-depth knowledge, vinay, vivek, humor and never tiring attitude. The feedback and testimonials received from the attendees regarding the beneficial changes in their lifestyles attest to the success of the event. Behavior modification including positive attitude, and improved moral, social and occupational conduct, are some of the benefits cited by the participants.
To keep the spirit of Acharya Shri Tulsi's Anuvrat movement alive, everyone present on the last day of Saman's lecture took anuvrat for one year. Examples include weekly fasting, observing a period of silence during the day, quitting bad habits, giving up one's favorite food, and others. For further information, please contact Harilal Shah (510-487 9380).
Jain Center of Northern California
Jain Center of So. California 1993 Winter Camp
MARCH 1994 www.jainelibrary.org