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Swaminarayan's believe that religion and community cannot be separated, and in fact the two are directly inter-twined. There is a firm belief and respect for spiritually elevated souls such as saints and God. As an individual. Pramukh Swami is worshipped by his followers like a God, and they listen to his every wish. When several years ago he requested the temple project to start, even when enough funds were not raised and the task seemed very complex and ambitious, his followers listened, and the outcome is there for all of us to see. Even children joined the campaign to collect aluminium cans and recycle them to raise funds for the temple.
The central institution which revives and energises this community is the Mandir. It is a social centre, where people celebrate festivals and happy times and seek shelter in sad times. It is an educational centre where there is a continual learning of scriptures and languages, ideals and experiences. It is a moral centre where ethics and values are reinforced through the practice of purity. It is a spiritual centre where the philosophical truths of man, nature and god are understood and attained. It is a cultural centre where artists offer their talent and trade, music and dance, sculptures and designs in the
service of God.
Discipline and ethics are also central to the Swaminaryan philosophy. Their sacred book of ethics, the Shikshapatri, prescribes a moral code for everyday life. The key principles include nonviolence, pure vegetarianism, and avoidance of alcohol. Service is central to the ethical code, and helps significantly towards personal well-being and happiness. Service is an act of selflessness, a recognition that all life is inter-dependent and worthy of love, respect and support. Self- sacrifice by people of all ages is very visible whenever one meets members of the Swaminarayan community. For example, Mr. Mahesh Shah, the principal coordinator of our tour of the Swaminarayan Neasden complex, spends most of his spare time working at the temple. Despite being a father of two, and having a very demanding job at times requiring weekend work, Maheshbhai finds that by serving the community, and involving his whole family. they all find personal happiness and fulfillment. He feels that the ultimate purpose in life is to achieve union with God, and all else is secondary and should be seen to be so. In Pramukhswami, Maheshbhai believes that he has discovered a unique Guru and mentor.
The Jain community has through the ages imbibed many of these principles and created a large number and variety of community institutions. However, we in the West are currently at a threshold, when many of our age old values, activities and institutions are coming under threat of extinction. There is significant evidence that the material and acquisitive culture is not leading to happiness but instead to pain, loneliness and ill-health. Our philosophy is based on ahimsa and aparigraha, and communitarian values are directly connected with the religion. We can learn a lot
from this community, whose success
demonstrates the practical relevance of such values in the modern day. They have shown that the rewards of united community endeavours far outweigh any sacrifices. They elevate our lives and provide a renewed sense of purpose and fulfillment. That surely is the aim of life.
Tin
Swaminarayan Temple is located at Brentfield Road, Neasden, London NW10 8JP - Tel: (020) 8965 2651 Photos: Chandu Shah
July - September 1999 - Jain Spirit
67
Ja
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