Wave of Bliss

Author(s): N P Jain
Publisher: Jain Meditation International Centre

Page 98

A PIONEER SHOWS THE WAY
will-power. Now his constituency of followers is worldwide and includes India-born Jains and others from different stratas of life. He has inspired them to bring miraculous change in their lives. Prominent religious leaders of different factions the world over recognise him as a front-ranking broad-minded and open-hearted teacher of a deeply compassionate philosophy of reverence of life in all its forms. He carries conviction since he practises what he preaches.
Over the years Gurudev Chitrabhanu has had opportunities of meetings and discussions with world leaders and statesmen like President Moi of Kenya, Kurt Waldheim, former UN Secretary General, Governor Francis W. of Massachusetts (USA) and several others.
In 1970 Chitrabhanu became the first Jain monk to change ancient rules against wearing shoes and travelling by vehicle in order to participate in the Second World Spiritual Summit Conference at Geneva. He assumed a unique role of a Spiritual Ambassador of the East to the West. He observed: “As if spiritual wings are lifting me to participate with the world."
Gurudev opened the Summit Conference with the Navkara Mantra and at the concluding ceremony chanted some verses of Bhaktamar on immortal love and devotion, and offered prayers for the peace and well-being of all living beings in the universe. His message made a profound impact that, “I believe in the practice of non-violence more than in the preaching" "and with friendliness to life, one cannot harbour hatred. And without hatred, how can there be room for war, conflict and killing” and “The happiness of the individual is only part of the happiness of all. The universe is one ecological whole."
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