Jain Digest 1994 06 Vol 10 No 02

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

Page 19

If the true guru is gracious, trust becomes complete. If the true guru is gracious, no one ever wastes away. If the true guru is gracious, trouble is a thing unknown If the true guru is gracious, how could there be fear of death. If the true guru is gracious, one is given instant joy. If the true guru is gracious, one mingles with the truth.
Acharya Sushil Muniji was my TRUE GURU." Anjali Jain, Cerritos, CA.
Most of his life he (Guruji) worked for promoting brotherhood and fraternity among the different groups of people, particularly he endeavored to forge unity of all Jains. Though he belonged to Sthanakvasi sect, he set up there (at Siddhachalam) the Jain temple with Shwetambar as well as Digambar idols. He also did not insist on wearing Muhapatti which had been inseparable emblem within Sthanakvasi sect. His concept of unity of the Jains has been articulated in the Jain Center at Bartlett (JSMC). Niranjan Shah, Chicago, IL.
It was evident, the affection and respect he commended was not limited among Jains, but Hindus, Sikhs and everyone who was present at the Shraddhanjali meeting) felt touched by this great and holy spiritual father. He has earned a permanent place in the history and a special place in the hearts of humanity. A true international messenger of Lord Mahavir in modern history. Hasendra Shah, Jain Center of Southern California, CA.
Some of my friends, who had attended the camp at Siddhachalam, had become so (very) close to him and respected him for being their true friend. They felt that this was the greatest time of their lives. The teaching of Jainism at the camp changed their feelings towards religion. He will be remembered in every heart for his loving and caring guidance that helped my friends and many others throughout the world." Mansi Shah, Cerritos, CA.
With love and respect, Guruji this is for you: You are the sun shining in the blue sky. Your massive heart is open to love all. Your caring never lets anything die. Birds and flowers all listen for your call. It's your bright light they are protected by. They depend on this orange burning ball. Your love is the stimulation to try. You got up whenever you took a fall. Hate can overcome even the great. Why? Glowing in the sky keeping peace for all. Never erased from the Earth is your cry. No one will forget you for you stood tall. Giving more proves that you are a great one. Nothing can exceed your greatness: MY GURUJI." Samta Jain (15), Irvine, CA.
He was not only famous as a Messenger of Peace during the Punjab crisis but also for his hard work and his active support for spreading Jainism in the world. For our Derasar for Tulsa Jain Sangh, he graciously agreed to get us two Murtis. As it turned out, one of the Murtis that was for some other center, got shipped to us by mistake. When we realized of the exchange, he told us not to worry about it. He said, "The Murti wanted to come to Tulsa and therefore let it be in Tulsa. Otherwise, this exchange could not happen." Our Derasar blessed by him "... would not have been - a dream come true - without his support and his blessing... Jain communities in North America will miss him for his divine guidance, dedicated support and profound knowledge of Jainism. ...True tribute to Acharyaji is to carry his dream to spread, support and convey the message of Jainism to all in the world. Ketan Sheth, Tulsa, OK.
One of his greatest achievements was the sense of direction that he provided for the Jain youth of America. With the establishment of Siddhachalam, Guruji gave us a central foundation from which all of us could build and expand our knowledge of Jainism. He provided us with the tools to craft our own understanding of Jain philosophy and help purify our body and soul. Guruji was a man of great warmth, compassion, and understanding. He shall never be forgotten. Ashish A. Shah (19), Orange, CT.
GURUJI: A LIVING EXAMPLE OF ANEKANTVAD
In early days of Guruji's stay in America, he used a traditional mask (Muhapatti), as would any Sthanakvasi monk. Vivek (my son), 7 years old at the time, curiously asked Guruji what the purpose was of the mask. Guruji not only cheerfully explained the purpose, but also gave him one of his masks, which delighted Vivek. In the later years, Guruji discontinued the use of the mask, at least in public, because it narrowly identified him as a conservative Sthanakvasi. Similarly, he encouraged establish- ment of temples, and worked hard to build a beautiful temple at Siddhachalam in New Jersey. These examples demonstrate Guruji's broad based approach and leadership to unite the entire Jain community, regardless of the traditional differences and sub-sects. Guruji provided a great living example of the practice of ANEKANTVAD. Hans Maru, Brookfield, CT.
Guruji loved children. He had one single goal for them, which was to instill the finest principles of Jainism into them from a very early age. He successfully achieved that through his book Song of the Soul. He taught all children the very powerful aspect of non-violence, through which they develop the feeling of friendship for each other and learn to live in harmony with all the people in the world. To me, this is the most important contribution Guruji made in this country to change our lives. He developed our children into true Jains, which would not have been possible without his relentless effort.
The establishment of the Siddhachalam temple is one of Guruji's greatest achievements, especially for a monk who belonged to Shwetambar Sthanakvasi sect. When the temple was
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