Jain Digest 1997 06 Vol 13 No 02

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

Page 17

SHRADHANJALI
A Tribute to Acharya Tulsi
Acharya Tulsi, the finest symbol of India's glorious spiritual tradition left his body in Gangashahar, India on Monday, June 23, 1997, for eternal peace.
Youngest Acharya. Born on October 20, 1914, at Ladnun, Rajasthan, child Tulsi became Muni Tulsi at the age of 11, as 9th Acharya. At the age of 22 he was entrusted with the responsibility of leading a large religious order. consisting of 500 monks and nuns and millions of shravaks and shravikas.
Acharya Tulsi's life is a new manifestation of Indian consciousness. His 72 years of monkhood, unprecedented number of years as Acharya, unparal leled barefoot walk of 100,000 km throughout India, wide contact with masses, intimate spiritual relationship with political leaders like Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Mrs. Indira Gandhi.
Gurudev launched a three-dimensional campaign of Anuvrat, Preksha Meditation and the Science of Living.
Anuvrat Movement. Acharya Tulsi launched the Anuvrat Movement on March 2, 1949, with a view to spread non-violence and righteousness. Anuvrat, derived from the code of conduct of Jain Shravak enlisted in the Agams, aims at creating a feeling of pure humanitarian and universal fraternity irrespective of consideration of race, sect, gender, class, language or religion. Be a good human being first and then proceed further-this is the basic message of Anuvrat. Acharya Tulsi realized the universal nature of religion and made it a tool to solve social, national and international problems. Anuvrat Movement put forward the following secrets before the people:
• Dharma (Religion) occupies the first place, sect comes next • There may be many sects but dharma belongs to all
⚫ Dharma must not be subjected to political interferences ⚫ Dharma not only ensures happiness in the hereafter but it also brings happiness to the present life.
• He who fails to make his present life better is unlikely to achieve happiness in the hereafter.
• The primary aim of Dharma is to purify character. Its ritualistic practices are means to achieve the purity of the character as an end.
Preksha Dhyan. In 1975, experiments to evolve an effective technique of meditation were carried out. They proved immensely successful. The technique thus evolved came to be known as Preksha Dhyan. Preksha Meditation was one of the most important activities of Acharya Tulsi. Its sole aim is to bring about an inner change in the person.
Jeevan Vigyan. It is a constructive and important endeavour aimed at bringing about a psychological transformation in the attitude of students. Many experiments have been made in colleges and schools to test its efficacy.
National awards and recognition.Acharya Tulsi had influenced Indian politics by his personal traits and actions as a religious preceptor. He never compromised the dignity of a saint by joining active politics. Dr. S. Radhakrishnan has included the life accounts of fourteen great men in his book Living with Purpose. One of them is Acharya Tulsi. Dr. Radhakrishnan honoured him in 1961 on the completion of his twenty-five years of Acharyahood. In 1971 President V. V. Giri honoured him by conferring on him the title of Yugpradhan. In 1986 he was conferred the title of Bharat Jyoti by President Gyani Zail Singh. Acharya Tulsi was a nominated member of the National Integration Council. He was honoured by the Indira Gandhi National Unity Award in 1993.
Jain Vishwa Bharati. In 1970, Acharya Tulsi established Jain Vishva Bharati for the purpose of religious education and training; and to discover the new depth of spiritual knowledge. It has a huge library containing 35,000 Grantha and 5,000 hand-written patra. In 1991, the Govt. and UGC approved it as a full fledge University where a student can receive masters degree in arts, science and religion.
Saman Deeksha. The need for a third category of monks and nuns between full-fledged ascetic and house-holders had been felt for a long time. In 1980, Acharya Tulsi took a revolutionary step and initiated the first batch of samanis on the campus of Jain Vishva Bharati, Ladnun. The aim of establishing this new category of ascetics, who are like Sadhu and Sadhvi in every respect with the exception that they do not have to observe the vow of travelling on foot and that the food can be prepared for them, was to help and facilitate the spread of Jainism and also to open up new avenues of constructive work.
Simple monk again. On February 18, 1994 Acharya Tulsa relinquished his office of Atari in favor of Yuvacharya Mahapragya. From that day onwards, Acharya Mahapragya, a most competent and brilliant successor, became the 10th Atari of the Terapanth Dharm Sangh. For one Acharya to transfer his exalted office to another within life time was a unique event in the history of Jains. A man of heroic courage, remarkable spiritual development, prodigious amount of creative writings and his gift of thousands of dedicated workers—all sound singularly great and incredible.
JAIN DIGEST FALL 1997/15 www.jainelibrary.org