Jain Digest 2007 11 2

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

Page 34

Jain Digest. Winter 2007
Unity Paradigm:
United in Independence
United in Spirit
VIEW POINT
" Completely autonomously run
groups serving a shared community of people with different needs and expectations. Each group, while united at a fundamental level in some core spiritual beliefs, still works under its own vision and objectives to serve its larget group's needs.
Core idea:
United Under One Complete integration of all sub-groups into one organization. Elected board maintains final authority and oversight over everything under the banner of Jain Center sponsored activities. Individual committees are responsible for and empowered to manage specitic areas to some degree. but remain wholly accountable to the executive board of the Jain Center. Resources and scale. Operational control. No individual or group operates above or outside the elected "rule of law." Needs of minority interests are comprised to suit the majority. No target group is served as well. Risk of bureaucratic inefficiencies. More time Spent talking than doing, Basic unifying foundation for the community to serve a similar-minded majority, but failing to deliver effectively to individual needs.
Jain Center serves as the primary organization for loosely uniting the community for all things Jain. Satellite groups operate independently, with their own vision and objectives, not constrained by nor accountable to the Center with respect to their activities and participants. Groups maintain a non-binding mechanism for encouraging communication, cooperation, coordination, and participation with each other to come together, create
synergy and share resources. • The peaceful co-existence of
independent, self-managed individuals /groups and the retention of diversity,
talent and fresh thinking. • Some scale/synergy benefits. • Unknown. Relatively unprecedented
in the experience of Jain
organizations. • Possible fragmentation - too many
good choices.
Advantages
• Each group works optimally to
serve its needs effectively, 1. No group is accountable to or
constrained by others in any
way.
Limitations:
. lacks the resources, stability,
and financial operational Synergies and scale benefits of a
larger organization. . May he challenging to replicate
and sustain success.
Result:
. Mutually respectful and synergistic
co-existence of highly talented and effective individuals/ groups from which community members benefit through activities of their choice, with effective unity between groups.
Mutually respectful co-existence in which community members take part in each organization's activities as they choose, but without any explicit goal of unity
The traditional approach of united under one" is the standard practice familiar to many Jain organizations. It's good but not great; it has failed to truly unite Jains effectively, and is inadequate to meet the demands of today's Jains who want it all - choice, freedom and quality. The other, less common but equally extreme approach of
united in spirit provides an alternative, but it too has limitations. The proposed middle path borrows from the strengths of both approaches to bring forth a new concept of "unity in independence". Adopting this kind of progressive approach to Jain organizations will require compromise, change, and courage, but the rewards are well worth it if it allows our children to carry the torch of Jain spirituality forward.
Advocates of religion often suffer from
dogmatism. They may agree that what - 24they have known is not absolute truth,
but they insist that what others believe Afis absolutely wrong.
hele - Acharya Mahapragyaji -
kare
S
BENGUES en SERGADO
PESSET
.
lucation Intemational
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