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JAIN DIGEST.. May 2011
away from artificial or superficial flamboyant behavior. Just as a monk he did not waste any food and took only that was absolutely required, he campaigned against national waste. While personally following a strict Digamber Jain tradition, he neither imposed nor emphasized any specific ritual or tradition.
He travelled across the breadth and length of the country to make people realize the good in every individual. He firmly believed that everyone could be happy if they always saw goodness in people and didn't indulge in finding faults in anyone. Our thoughts should be good and we should use positive words which express affection because these words have immense power. He believed that Sadhu is like a mirror, through whom a society can look at their weaknesses and shortcoming. A sadhu and society are interrelated, one wouldn't exist without each other. On the way to Badrinath, in Haridwaar, he gave a very impressive pravachan to the Digamber samaj that people recall even today. He was the first saint in the present century to go to Badrinath. Travelling through difficult and cold paths Acharyaji went from Badrinath to Srinagar and did his chaaturmaas there. He inspired a lot of people to write and publish articles/poems on Jainism. He inspired one person to write an anthology of poems on Lord Mahavir.
Acharya Vidyanandji's powerful address to the society and politicians in Delhi in a Sarva Dharma meet, was a big eye opener and served as a guide for them to understand and appreciate the role of Jains in the past and current society. He pointed out the contribution of Jains to the society at large by telling everyone that Jains had opened aushadhalaya/hospitals, provided scholars, philanthropists, schools, and publishing houses funds and had helped large number of people in the community. To commemorate the 2500 nirvana anniversary of Bhagwan Mahavir, he urged people to do things that would be in the welfare of the society and country. He would not teach people but would urge them to become an example of what they would want to teach to people, that way people would watch/observe and follow them. He urged Jains and members of other communities to work towards the betterment of society and learn to respect the good in others. With this lecture, he not only inspired Jains to contribute more towards the wellbeing of the society, but also brought in forefront the ills spread within the government structure and
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society at large. He accosted the audience to stop focusing only on individual gains but to do things for the betterment of our country. To commemorate Bhagwan Mahavir's 2500 years of nirvana, he motivated people to donate for building an establishment, which would work towards developing and maintain all ancient Jain Canons and literature. Mahavir Sthali in Delhi was established at the initiative of Acharya Vidyanandji on the land granted by the late Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi.
His largest contribution to the Jain community was to bring together the different sects to speak in a common voice. He was very instrumental in resolving various conflicts between Shwetamber and Digamber Jain sects by making them realize that they would do better if they complemented each other in whatever they undertook instead of fighting with each other. As a renowned scholar of not only of Jain Digamber scripture but also Jain Agams (as accepted by Shwetamber tradition to be original Jain text), he was in a unique position to expose the futility of the sometimes exaggerated conflicts between the two sects. He was the inventor of the five color Jain
flag, now commonly used by all Jain sects. He was the initial proponent of a common Jain symbol, where he worked and conferred with different Acharyas to come up with a Jain symbol acceptable to all Jain sects. In the process of such discussion, he developed a unique respect and friendship with different Jain Acharyas with whom he had an opportunity to exchange ideas and views. He developed a very special relationship with the Terapanth Acharya Mahapragya. The two great scholars spend many hours together discussions all aspects philosophy, relevant methods and messages for the current time, and spreading the message of Ahimsa to bring peace in the society. When we specifically asked him to tell us about his interactions with Acharya Mahapragya, he responded by telling I have already written about him, but if my health and time permits, I would like to write a lot more about that great soul.
Acharya Vidyanandji, is one of the most senior Jain monks of Digamber sect. For more than five decades, he walked the land, in good weather and bad, through forests and mountains, preaching and practicing the creed of the Jinas, the gentle spiritual conquerors till the elements no longer bothered him, nor did afflictive emotions.
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