Jain Digest 2016 08

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

Page 8

Learning about Jainism By Chintav Shah, Sohail Daulat, Sonia Ghelani,
Rishi Zaveri, and Diana Weisz
Jain
Chintav is a New Jersey native and a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania where he studied Marketing, Operations, and Systems Engineering. He enjoys learning about the deeper aspects of spirituality within Jainism and their connection to other religions around the world. He was YJA's Director of Education this year and was on the Daytime Programming Team for the 2016 LA Convention.
I went to Pathshala in New Jersey from when I was 5 until This past winter, I visited India for a wedding and I graduated high school at 17. As I grew older, many of extended my stay to attend the first ever International those my own age began dropping off, until maybe three Conference on Science and Jain Philosophy, a 3 day or four students remained. Why did I stay through until event in Bombay similar to JAINA conventions. They the end - until college? Years later, I can comfortably brought speakers from all around the world who had not admit that what pushed me wasn't my own drive or my only a background in the sciences or philosophy but also own faith; instead, it was my parents and teachers. They enough knowledge about Jainism to present an argument told me to keep going even when I didn't see immense or thesis on the forefront of our current beliefs as a value in memorizing line after line of a Sutra I didn't collective Jain sangh on this planet. It was there that I met understand - they pushed me to continue to memorize Dr. Jeoraj Jain, a scientist who has written and published all 24 Tirthankars, their emblems, and Nirvana places multiple books on how the particles of water themselves even when I did not fully believe in doing so.
are living, rather than what most Jains currently believe
which is that water is living on account of the millions Little did I know that this would have a much larger of bacteria and microorganisms we cannot see. The impact later on in life. 2 years later, when I was 19, I implications of this astounded me. The professor urged began to understand the Arihant's value and power as all of us to focus not just on boiling water to practice a framework and mindset for our day to day actions, nonviolence, but redirect our attention to personal water thoughts, and decisions. I realized the value of the conservation to realign our perspective and practices. Gunasthanaks (the soul's spiritual ladder) and Dhyans (various meditative states of a purified mind); I connected To bring this full circle, I believe the education of Jain the teachings of detachment and enlightenment to the youth needs two aspects: stronger faith - even if it principles in Greek philosophy; I even realized how truth is temporarily blind - imparted on young Jains, and lies in each and every religion of the world, but through second, clear and relevant applications of Jain principles centuries of politics and adaptation, what remains is a that enable young Jains to become Agents of Change. fragment of the initial truth preached by Buddha, Christ, and even Mahavir.
First, if every parent or teacher explicitly said "Trust in this knowledge that you learn in Pathshala, trust in these Sutras, and one day the dots will connect in a way you never thought possible," every Jain adolescent would grow up at least keeping what they learn about Jainism in the backdrop of their lives. Once these young Jains learn to think critically and once they have more time to read into other religious beliefs, spiritual practices, and philosophical ideals in their late teens and early twenties, a sense of spirituality, compassion, nonviolence, and unity will flow through every action, thought, and decision they make in their lives. My parents' strong will pushed me to continue spending many hours each week learning about Jain concepts between Pathshala, the Jain