Jain Journal 2002 04

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 20

BRAHMESHANANDA: THE IDEAL OF SERVICE IN JAINISM
to needy students; anti-drug campaigns; running libraries, reading rooms and medicine-banks. The women's wing, All India Terapanthi Mahila Mandal, has more than 300 centres in India through which activities for the uplift of women are carried out. This wing has provided artificial limbs to more than 500 handicapped people. It also organizes eye-camps, blood donation camps, distribution of medicines etc. It arranges for the adoption of poor children into well-to-do families and provides for maintenance and education of such children. Another association gives pecuniary help to poor widows and patients, and scholarships to poor students. Jain devotees also run centres where the sick, old and infirm Jain monks can be treated and nursed with utmost care and devotion.
Jain Vishva Bharati, established in 1970, is an educational and research institute which has been given the status of a university. It conducts post graduate, diploma and certificate courses in Jainology, linguistics (especially Prakrit), meditation and the art of living, and conducts research in Peace and Nonviolence. The most important section, however, is the one which deals with spiritual practices, where scriptures are taught and training given in meditation, asana, prāṇāyāma, and cultivation of awareness. All are welcomed without any sectarian bias. Apart from these spiritual and educational activities, the Jain Vishva Bharati also conducts a primary school, four Ayurvedic hospitals, and three hundred adult educational centres in villages. Spiritual training is provided by the monks, who are also the chief source of inspiration, guidance and encouragement to all the other activities of the institution.
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Conclusion
All told, the ideal of service in Jainism is not much different from what prevailed in ancient Hindu society. The stress on duty, charity, austerity and moral values is similar to what is advocated in the Bhagavad Gita. Even the exemption from service for monks is common to the traditional Hindu monks and Jain monks, but for entirely different reasons. Service is an effective means to Self-realization and, conversely, the struggle for Self-realization by conquering selfishness, aversion and attachment is the best form of service one can render to society.