Jain Study Center NC Raleigh 1999 08 Twenty Years

Author(s): Jain Study Center NC Raleigh
Publisher: USA Jain Study Center NC Raleigh

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to parallel. It is truly a joy to see everyone after I come back from a long absence. Shared history - of Jain camps, meetings, dinners (and Rachna's wedding!) have been adding layer after layer of richness, friendship, and commitment to the sense of community we have. It's so nice to belong to something where people have known my family and me for years, and where I have known them.
Late afternoon. We slowly disperse, after 45 minutes of saying aavjo (good bye) and drinking the mandatory cup of chha (tea). We pile back into the car, returning to our family units until we merge again for the next community event. Looking out the window, I contemplate some hopes for the next twenty years...that we continue to think about how our philosophy and our organization as a group can be applied to positive change socially...that the responsibilities for cooking, heating, serving, and cleaning up the meals will be more equally shared between the men and the women...that we can find a solution agreeable to all so that we can avoid the use of disposable plates, cups, and utensils...that the youth will help ensure the existence and strength of similarly family-oriented and close-knit Jain groups for the next generation ...
I thank each one of you for the love and friendship that has created and sustained our wonderful community.
With great love, Nisha
Nisha Varia is a graduate of Stanford University, currently working in Washington, DC.
Eastern Philosophy in Western Practice
by Jinendra Raja Jain
In this era, the question of how to accommodate Jain philosophy, within the fast-paced modernity of the west, confronts all Jains. With rapid Indian migration to the United States comes the threat of cultural assimilation, concerning the parents of first-generation IndianAmericans. There is increasing anxiety over the seeming disintegration of Jain values as youths come in contact with the amalgam of cultures in America. Attempting to reverse the seeming loss of culture, our parents have sought to instill a sense of religious responsibility in us. They have created myriad institutions, resulting in a discernible Jain presence in the Western world. One of these institutions is the "Jain Study Center".
The Jain Study Center of North Carolina was launched 20 years ago as a venture in preserving Jainism in the western world. Founded by Pravin K. Shah, it has grown from approximately 13 families to nearly 70 families, including 55 life members. The JSCNC's primary objective is to encourage the exchange of ideas concerning Jainism. The ideal end is an assurance that Jain youth will be able to live their lives in a religiously sound manner. To achieve this, the JSCNC has evolved its methods of teaching Jain principles over the past 20 years. This change in instruction reflects a realization of the implications that modern society holds for the survival of Jainism in America.
In the beginning, the approach for most Jain centers around the nation was to try to fill as much
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Jain Education Interational