Jain Digest 2015 06

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

Page 50

JAIN DIGEST
Distinctive Example:
The important day marked forever is the placing of the
idols in their rightful places and the hoisting of the holy Antwerp's all Jain segments have set an unique Jain flag on the temple's tower. It took a long time, but example of unity in diversity into the Jain World, where it was worth it." all the sectors of Jain Religion celebrate together pious days of Paryusana Parv, which are the days for Yes, this is the Temple of Jain religion but we want repentance of one's faults and forgiveness is given you to consider this as a temple which spreads the and urged for, to all living beings in the universe. message of non-violence, message of universal
brotherhood for love and Peace. Asceticism and Diamonds:
Address:
Laarstraat 20, 2610 Wilrijk, The Jains in Belgium were hardly known due to
Antwerp, Belgium, their Jain religion but since this temple was built and Contact:
Phone/Fax: +32 3 336 12 33, inaugurated the religion become more popular due Email:
jcca1 @telenet.be. to its unique philosophy for peace and love. This has compiled with: The help of the JCCA much to do with their unusual moral principles and doctrine of purity in to the day to day life such as: Compiled with the help of the Rajesh Talsania and non-vegetarian food, no seafood, no eggs, no roots Arun Jogani vegetables, no honey, no alcohols, etc all these are strictly forbidden. Their work ethics are just as intense.
Theory of Karma- Super Mario way
Sohum Daftary , Texas
I had the worst seat at the table. Right in the center, squished "So what are ya?" between two meaty boys and sitting in front of my stern patrol leader--not the most comfortable position for a scrawny Indian Luke asked me plainly. What kind of question was that? I eating a veggie burger.
could retaliate with a smart remark, but I felt the muscles of
the twins flexing, indicating that this was a bad choice. Should I was at the 2010 National Scout Jamboree as a budding I tell Mr. Ness? No, for many reasons. I needed to explain my thirteen year old, and it was the first lunch of the campout religion to my fellow scouts; I mean, these guys shared tents The boys in my patrol, their white faces red and sweaty, stood with me, so I knew they could respect my culture if I could around their grill and flipped beef patties. I was a distance only present it in an accessible way. Talk of reincarnation away, close enough for the beefy smoke to surround me, but and karma would confuse just about anyone, so I needed far enough to cook my veggie patty on the grill I had brought something simple and direct. Suddenly, I knew. I looked up at From the other grill, Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum, twins Luke and smiled. nicknamed by the patrol, glared at me and my lonely patty.
"Have you ever played Super Mario?" They didn't know me and they didn't like me. And why would they? I could not participate in traditional scouting activities. They all had. That lunch, it was Mario and Jainism. When like fishing and hunting, I was eating different foods, and Mario collected coins, he found positive karma, increasing his I didn't have the iconic Christianity patch on my uniform. I score. When he collided with a mushroom, he lost power the caught their stare and quickly turned back to attend to my same way Jains gained negative karma when we ate meat. patty, which was now sizzling and waiting to be flipped. The Mario's multiple lives were his reincarnations, and the game twins snickered when I fumbled to turn it over. This was all map was the Jain universe. Winning was attaining nirvana. new and I hated it.
It was crude, but effective. "Man, I wish I could explain my
religion with Mario!" Tweedle-Dum chuckled, placing his Sizzle. My lunch was ready.
heavy arm around my shoulders.
That lunch, I had the best seat at the table. Right in the center, I took my veggie burger towards the dining tent where the huddled between two brothers and sitting across a grinning boys, their mouths dripping beef juice as they chewed. I patrol leader. For the first time, I shared my story, and that approached, and the whispering stopped. Boys shuffled lunch, I finally joined the troop. away from each other to make just enough room for me. The worst seat at the table. I bit into my burger.
50 I MAY-JUN 2015