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Jainism in America
Yashwant K. Malaiya
Until a decade ago, very few people outside of India knew about Jainism. It was thought to be an obscure Indian religion. Many still think that all Jains cover their mouths with a cloth and sweep the ground that they walk on, and that the practice of Jainism is so hard that very few people can follow it.
Today, Jains have settled in several countries of the world outside of India, including UK, USA, Canada, and Australia. There are Jain temples in some of the African countries and Japan. Quite a few of the Jains in America are well-known professionals, businessmen, entrepreneurs and researchers. The shikharas of new Jain temples proudly rise in several American cities.
How many Jains are there in America? What does the future hold for the Jains outside of India? Will they survive and flourish as an influential group, or will they disappear into the melting pots of the local cultures? Will the overseas Jainism have a character distinct from the Jain traditions in India? Let us examine some of the frequently asked questions.
History of Jainism in America
During the past few centuries, it was considered improper for Jains (and Hindus) to travel overseas because of the fear that they will be forced to compromise and lose their dharma. However, Jains had traveled overseas in remote antiquity. Jain traders used to travel to Zanzibar, central Asia, Turkey, and China. An 11th century bronze Jain image has been found in Bulgaria. In the past century, many Jains settled in Africa, from where they later moved to UK and America.
The first known Jain to visit America was Virchand Gandhi who had lectured at the Parliament of World Religions in 1893. His statue in the Jain temple in Chicago commemorates his visit. Next was Barrister Champat Rai Jain who addressed the World Fellowship of Faiths in Chicago in 1933. It is believed that these visits resulted in some individuals adopting Jainism. After independence, Indians started trickling in. By early 70s, there were enough Jains to form the critical mass in a few places.
In 1971 Gurudev Chitrabhanu, a former monk, arrived in New York and he established the Jain Meditation International Center of New York in 1973. The Jain Society of Toronto was founded in 1973, and was soon followed by Jain organizations in other places. Muni Sushil Kumarji arrived in USA in 1975. Two major events took place in 1973. The Jain Study Circular started publication in that year and it has been a major force in defining Jainism in USA. Also the same year, the first edition of Jain Directory was published by the Jain Center of Greater Boston, effectively connecting the Jains of USA and Canada into a single group. Some of the Jain organizations jointly hosted the first Jain convention in Los Angeles in 1981. This convention gave rise to JAINA (Jain
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