Jain Spirit 2003 06 No 15

Author(s): Jain Spirit UK
Publisher: UK Young Jains

Page 41

YOUTH
TEMPLES TAKE US HIGHER
TEMPLES TAKE US HIGHER
Pooja A. Jain explains that by building temples, we lay the foundations for keeping Jainism alive
encourages purity in our thoughts, which in turn influences our actions and invokes religious behaviour.
A new temple under construction in
Gujarat, India
TE ARE CURRENTLY
existing in the fifth era of the V V regressive half of the Jain time-cycle (avarsapini) and the state of our world also reflects this: war, poverty and illness surround us in our daily lives. There is a desperate need for some form of practical salvation. The presence of a temple is an ideal reply to the Jain society's outcry for a pure, positive influence on our lives.
The merits of building a Jain temple are numerous, especially in countries outside of India. Living in the West, I notice the distinct lack of knowledge about Jainism amongst my peers. Unfortunately, many Jain children themselves are unable to explain to non-Jains the basic concepts of our religion. It is our duty to work harder to counteract this decline in the understanding of our religion and to educate the youth. The building of a temple, I feel, is an essential step in achieving this.
A temple provides us with an organised infrastructure in which to practise Jainism. It is similar to going to school to acquire knowledge as opposed to studying at home. Our mind works differently in different environments and temples are an excellent place for spiritual development. At home, there are many worldly distractions (sansarik) such as watching television or playing on the computer. In contrast, in a temple it is easier to involve ourselves in the spiritual world and practise our rituals in a sacred environment filled with positive vibrations. It is an environment solely dedicated to spiritual progression. The chances of advancing religiously are a great deal higher in a temple than at home. The pure environment of the temple
temple-goers, will feel encouraged to actively practise their religion, and will consciously feel proud of it as their confidence in their own Jain knowledge increases. In order for the youth to promote and support Jainism with sincerity and determination, it is imperative that they believe in its principles. To begin with, they need to learn about the fundamentals of Jainism. A temple is an ideal place for children to be informed about these values and then they will voluntarily choose to uphold them. This way these children will prove much more beneficial to the future position of Jainism in the world.
The temple is also a very useful means to bring the community together. It provides a common meeting point with a religious setting. It enhances us culturally, as we meet people of our religion and worship together. A temple very quickly becomes an integral part of the community and gives us an identity in a foreign country.
Seven years ago, when I joined the Jain school, Shri Chandana Vidyapeeth in North London. I immediately felt the benefit of the Jain community. I was learning about my own religion in the presence of other Jains. It was at the Jain school where I realised that building a temple will be an invaluable asset to our community: a meeting place for the younger and older generations alike, where we can all practise our religion together. Let us lay the foundations of our religion by building a temple and work to keep Jainism alive for future generations.
Praying in solitary meditation can be very effective but our mind can often wander. Temples allow people to meditate together in a religious environment, but it will not encourage them to talk. Instead, they gain support from seeing other people meditating hard as well. In the temple there is a greater variety of ways to worship and hence both our body and mind become involved, making religious practices more enjoyable.
Many of us, including myself, are inexperienced in conducting religious practices correctly. In a temple we have a chance to carry out rituals such as pooja, aarti, samayika and pratikraman, which are often difficult to do correctly at home. We have the opportunity to learn from other people and hence use our time more effectively. Children, seeing other
Pooja A. Jain is an A-level student and lives in London.
Photo: FALGUN PATEL
June - August 2003
Jain Spirit
39
Jain Education Interational 2010_03