COMPASSION INSPIRATION EDUCATION DEVOTION
YOUNG TRANSFORMATION GENERATION
Essays by Pathshala Students in North America Beginning with the February 2023 issue, the Jain Digest Editorial Team has started a new series of articles – essays written by the Pathshala students in North America. Many Jain Centers in USA and Canada have been conducting Pathshala classes for several years. Many volunteers provide selfless service to the Jain communities by teaching the students about Jain principles, values, rituals, culture, Indian languages, etc. Essay competitions are held to motivate the students to stimulate their thinking and analytical skills about what they have learned in Pathshala. We continue this effort to showcase the winning entries from one Jain Center in each issue of Jain Digest. In the June 2023 issue we showcased essays by 8- to 14-year-old students from Jain Society of Metropolitan Chicago. (JSMC) In this issue bring you essays by 14- to 18-year-old students from JSMC as well as an essay by an adult. We hope that you will enjoy reading these essays and be pleased with the talent these students exhibit. We would love to hear from you. Write us note at jaindigestpublication@gmail.com to engage in the very actions that we vowed against. How then do we follow the guidelines of our scriptures while also simultaneously living in this Dukham Kal full of hate and untruths? In fact, only Mahavir Swami’s teachings will enable us to find a feasible blend between the juxtaposing aspects of spirituality and the nature of modern reality.
JSMC Essay Competition 2021 Level 6 Students - Age 14 to 18 years Topic: Relevance of Bhagawän Mahävir Swami’s Preaching at Present Om Gandhi - 1st Place Om has actively been involved in Pathsala since a young age, participated in several Jain Academic Bowl competitions, and volunteered in the Jain community via cultural programs and the JSMC health fair. He is currently a sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania, where he is the president of the Hindu-Jain Association. Modern society can be described as fleeting joys hidden within a haystack of challenges and burdens. In search of these small joys, passions, and hatred overwhelmingly consume us, making it abundantly clear that we have deviated from the path of spirituality. We care more about materialistic possessions than the values of Kshama, Vinay, Ärjava, and Santosh. We rather discuss politics than recite the Stutis and Sutras that enable us to reflect on our deeds and contemplate the qualities of the Tirthankaras. We have forgotten our vows and instead indulge in our every pleasure with no selfrestraint. And while our intentions may be pure, we still get pulled into the vortex of Kashäyas, forcing us
Throughout modern history, inequality, prejudice, and discrimination are depressingly common. From genocides like the Holocaust to the systemic racism and oppression entrenched deep within American society, humans have always unjustly treated those who look different, often resorting to violence. By contrast, understanding the Karma theory and Mahavir Swami’s emphasis on the Ratna Trayi exemplifies how all souls, regardless of their physical characteristics, are equal in their potential towards achieving Samyag Darshan, Jnän, and Chäritra. Mahavir Swami himself was strongly against the Indian Caste System stratified individuals because of uncontrollable characteristics. Why shouldn’t we follow in his footsteps and facilitate equality for others? Why should we succumb to the Kashäyas of Krodha, Man, Maya, and Lobha? However, the impact of his teachings doesn’t end with structural inequality. In fact, it affects each and every aspect of our Man, Vachan, and Kaya. For example, vegetarianism, preached by Mahavir Swami is a dietary framework to extend Ahimsa beyond the human sphere and consider all living beings both ethically and ecologically. Embedded within this framework is the need to implement both Anukampä, empathy towards all living beings, and the four Bhävanäs - Maitri, Pramod, Karuna and Madhyasthata - into our daily lives to ensure that we spread values of compassion, appreciation, and kindness towards all living beings. Nonetheless, perhaps the one Kashaya that has plagued all modern humans is anger. Minimizing indulgence in the five major types of vices, including Vikathä and Vishay, is the first step towards eliminating this 45