________________
Digest
Rishi Zaveri just completed his Masters in Computer Science from University of Michigan. He is very active youth of Jain society of Greater Detroit. He has also helped found the Jain Students Association' at U of M.
countless humans have lived before us, and countless will Now that I have graduated college, I find it very easy to take live after us, puts the length of our life in perspective. Our for granted what Jainism and its philosophy has lent me the average 80 years on this earth is nothing compared to the past four years. Like many of my peers, in high school I found existence of humans. It tells us that the fame and fortune it very hard to take my religion seriously. I heard stories of that we amass in our life will soon be forgotten in just a few fantastic mythical places such as Ashtapad and humans with generations. If even kings who ruled entire continents are superpowers. I learned about the Jain time cycle and what no longer remembered and respected, then who are we, who the universe looks like, according to the scriptures. I was only own a few acres of land? When we learn that there are told that there existed miniscule, undetectable lifeforms in other planets just like ours, where people live just like us, we rocks, fire, and the air. I was told that Jainism was a religion realize that we are also not special. There is nothing unique based on science, however, whatever I had learned in school in our existence. Thus the point of learning these things is to clashed with all of these ideas. Because of this I became humble us. It is to remove our ego with respect to our body, disillusioned with all the other tenets of Jainism. It was not our wealth and our status. It guided me when deciding my until college that I redeveloped my curiosity and love for Jain path after graduation - that I should not blindly pursue a philosophy. When I reflect back, there are two things that I career or job that guarantees the best pay or social status, learned that believe helped change my view so drastically. rather that which still allows me to follow my religion whole
heartedly. First, I learned that Jainism is not defined by its stories of super humans and magical places. I realized that Jainism is My perspective of Jainism has shifted immensely since high defined by how it influences one to conduct their everyday school. Although there are many Jain concepts that I am life. Jainism is inherently a religion to be followed internally. skeptical of, I realize that it is not the actual concept that is Its principals are applicable to every situation we face, from important, rather the self-realization it induces. I no longer school-induced stress and conflicts with other people. call myself Jain because I do puja at the temple once a week Jainism stresses the importance of equanimity and the or do Samvatsari Pratikraman once a year, but because I am understanding that the entire universe is in flux. Nothing learning to be peaceful and compassionate at all times. is constant. Accepting this leads one to accept any situation that comes their way without feeling any extreme emotions.
Diana Noel Weisz It tells us that if we put in our 100 percent, then the outcome
Diana is a Senior at Loyola Marymount University, is no longer in our control. This concept of Purush-aarth
Los Angeles, majoring in Finance and Economics. (effort) helped me keep a cool mind during extremely trying semesters and I was able to stay calm during conflicts with My last engaged learning was the most difficult and the friends and family.
most influential. After my interview with Sushama Parekh Many elders preached
at her home, I learned the importance of asteya - nonto me the importance
stealing. Sushama taught me that one should not physically of going to the temple
steal objects from other people but should also not steal and doing samayik/
emotions that aren't "theirs”. In this context, the emotions pratikraman, but what
belong to one's mind and not the soul. Hence when we look I was never taught was
at ourselves as a peaceful, eternal soul, getting influenced by that all these rituals are
the emotions is like "stealing” since those emotions do not useless unless we are
belong to the soul. able to stay calm and controlled mentally.
My recent diagnosis of diabetes has placed me in many
situations where I allow myself to be controlled by my The second thing that I realized was why the "science” that emotions. From frustration with having constant high blood Jainism taught was important, even though it conflicted sugar, to anxious and hazardous thoughts that are induced with the science I was used to. The concept of time existing from low blood sugar, there have been many times that I have infinitely in both directions, and the universe having a asked "why me?". Sushama's lesson was unexpectedly very definite shape and structure and being inhabited with 84 profound and has stuck with me ever since the interview. lakh types of lifeforms - this all seems unbelievable when For my fifth engaged learning I have practiced asteya by not taken at face value. What I missed, however, was the affect allowing myself to be controlled by not only my emotions, this knowledge should have on a person. The knowledge that but also by the scenarios that are occurring around me.
continue reading. (page 17)
EQUANIMITY
