Image via Wikipedia“The best religion is the one that gets you closest to God. It is the one that makes you a better person.”
“Whatever makes you more compassionate, more sensible, more detached, more loving, more humanitarian, more responsible, more ethical.” “The religion that will do that for you is the best religion” ~ Dalai Lama
Jains have contributed immensely in the education of India right from day one through their monasteries distributed across the country.
The family is the first school and nucelus for education in India.
In the primitive India, father and mother were the basic teachers of their children.
Jains also accepted the family concept which prevailed earlier the rise of the Jain religion and Jain philosophy.
Jains also focussed and developed the family based system of education not only of Jain religious values but other aspects of life social, cultural, business and others.
Grammar and correct speech and languageand communication was taught at home.
Their monastries continued to impart instructions and lectures and education on religious and secular values.
In the monasteries, the curricula included instructions in religion, literature, arts and physical cultures.
The Jain monastries admitted the students of all castes.
Teachers were of two kinds : teaching religous values and other teachers teaching secular values.
The teachers/monkds in the Jain monasteries were required to study not less than three hours to upgrade and educate and evolve themselves.
Intermonasteries debates and sharing thoughts were encouraged.
In the Jain monastries library, the books, scripts relating religion, philosophy, astronomy, logic and arthmetic could be found.
Youths of mercantile communities were admitted and trained.
Rulers of ancient India competed with each other in honouring Tirthankars for their various kinds of contribution including that of the education.
Each New Year, we wish others happiness and prosperity. What really is the sign of prosperity? There are several - a smile, contentment, freedom, the willingness to share, fearlessness and the trust and confidence that you will get what you need in life.
Welcome the New Year with a genuine smile. As you flip the calendar, keep flipping your mind as well. Don’t fill your future dates with past events. Learn and unlearn from the past, and move on.
You want to be free of greed, hatred, jealousy and all such imperfections. Understand that negative emotions are due to the past. Do not let the past affect your life in the present. If you cannot forgive the past, then your future will be miserable. This New Year make up with someone with whom you are not on good terms. Start life afresh.
In the New Year, wish peace and prosperity for all. Do selfless service. Live your life well. Realise that your priority is to check violence in the world, free of domestic and societal violence. Make a resolution to do more good, help people in need and bring solace to those suffering.
Whenever you are useful to people, merit will never be lost. Any good gesture or action of yours will always come back to you. Today you have the whole world for a family. That’s what you need to feel, that everybody is part of your own family. Take responsibility. Then there is no suffering.
The spiritual dimension of life brings a great sense of belongingness, responsibility, compassion and caring for the whole world, for all life. In its truest form spirituality helps us overcome narrow boundaries of caste, creed, religion and nationality and give you a broader awareness of life everywhere.
Open your eyes and see how much you have been given.
Focus on what you have rather than what you don’t have.
The more grateful you are, the more will be given to you.
Conversely, the more you complain, the more will be taken away from you. This is what Jesus Christ meant when he said, “Those who have will be given more; those who don’t give, and even what they have will be taken away from them.”
With gratitude, reach out and help those who are less endowed. You will get much contentment when you serve selflessly. Then you realise that your problems aren’t so big after all. The biggest reason for mental depression is the constant refrain of the mind that says, “What about me?” This is a sign of lack of prosperity.
Become free like a bird. Open your wings and learn to fly. This is something you have to experience within yourself. If you think you are in bondage, you will remain bound here. Be free. When will you experience freedom? After you die? Become free right now. Sit down and become contented. Spend some time in meditation and satsang. This not only calms your mind, your inner self becomes strong enough to deal with challenges.
When the mind relaxes, the intellect becomes sharp. When the mind is loaded with ambitions and feverish desires, then the intellect loses its keenness. When intellect and observation are not sharp, life does not express itself fully. Ideas don’t flow properly and abilities diminish day by day. With this understanding, you step out of your narrow confines and that will solve many of the problems in your life. When you are centred, there is happiness always. With this calmness, talents arise naturally. Intuition comes, beauty comes, peace comes; Love springs up. Prosperity comes.
You live in time, we live in space. You are always n the move; we're always at rest. Religion is our first love, we reveal in metaphysics. Science is your passion; you delight in physics. You believe in freedom of speech; you strive for articulation. We believe in freedom of silence; we lapse into meditation. ~ Hari Dam, prof of Philosophy
When the world fails, and you know it will fail,
what way of life shall you live then?
When the governments collapse, and you know they will,
What power shall you rely on then?
When the dream of man reveals it's nightmare, and you already see that,
what dream shall you create then?
When the powers of earth lose control, and you know they are grasping,
what force shall you trust in then?
When someone comes forth to bring a new order, and you know it isn't your belief,
what faith shall you follow then?
When every man for himself will no longer put food in your children's belly,
and you see that time approaching,
What shall you do to nourish your Family then?
Inside us all, are there clues to our joint fundamentals.
Many of us are seekers of Good will.
Many of us are givers of Good will.
Only the principles that live on forever shall be reliable forever.
Only that which was before the beginning, and that which shall be after the end,
can a solid house be built upon.
Before Technology,
Before Science,
Before Society,
Before Governments,
Before Countries,
Before Armies,
Before Religions,
Before Tribes,
Before Culture,
Before Art.
Before Knowledge.
Before them all, and after them all will be the everlasting truth of Love.
Our culture todays treats Love as though it is a mushy, squishy, vain, lifeless, weak, foo-foo, feminine, girly-man idea only. Even now my own friends are looking upon my writing as though I have somehow gotten softer over the years. With my own ears have I heard them speak how they cannot even look upon my words because they are too wimpy for them.
Yet all the while, the very originator of love itself, is also the very originator of masculinity itself. Yet all the while the most powerful force in all the universe, responsible for the universe itself, proves continually that Love itself is the ONLY foundational principle of the universe that has been and always shall be.
Only the strong survives, all else, that is truly weak and truly despot fails.
Societies Fail,
Ideas Fail,
Governments Fail,
Man's Laws Fail,
Armies Fail,
Countries Fail,
Will fails,
The strong become weak and die,
The powerful become powerless and crumble.
Even a flower... can destroy the strongest man with an allergy.
Yet who has been destroyed by Love?
If there is a devil, then no doubt that force of vanity surly would put fear of love into the minds of men. No doubt that force of illogic would force upon another the idea of love as the weakness, rather then death as the weakness. No doubt Men and women would live within a time when love would be considered futile, unobtainable, indescribable, confusing, reckless, hurtful, and ultimately in vain. No doubt a pervasive and cunning idea would want men to become speakers of love, praising love, who actually know nothing about love at all! It works out well for death... that the only protagonists of love appear to be weak, unintelligent simple minded dolts living in a fairy-tale of unrealistic ideals. Yet love still is the only surviving force encompasing the universe as a whole. As every religion has thankfully not forgotten... it is truly the ONLY law there is.
Love itself removes the need for any other law.
No doubt if there is an untruth, devil, death, illogic, un-knowledge, force of ill-will in the universe... then that force would desire that we no longer remember what love actually is.
We try as we will to remember.
We write songs, poems, notes, letters, books, and create groups to recall actual love.
We seek, explore, discover, long for, ask for, desire, wish and hope for love.
We give, create, build, mold, shape, and try to grow love in another.
We do all we can continually for the sake of love.
Yet still do we seem to believe in love as vanity.
I believe our fundamental problem with love is that we see it from only one side at a time.
Either we are trying to give love, or we are trying to get love.
They say that Love can change the world. And this is TRUE... but only if that love is received.
They say that all you need is Love, and this is TRUE... but you will not have it if it is not given.
How many of us have tried to GIVE love to a mate, a brother, a friend... who refused it?
How many of us have tried to GET love from another who would not give it?
It has been said that it is better to give, then to receive. This idea has long been mistaken for value of one over the other. It is not a lesson that receiving is wrong or somehow less valuable. It is a lesson which reminds us that through Giving, we also do receive, if our giving was done so purely for the intent to give... and not for the intent to purchase love or kindness from another. If I expect a certain response from you, then I am in effect doing a business transaction, rather then an act of love. If I desire that you should respond to my gift in a certain manner... then I am treating you as a whore, and wish to buy your affection.
IF however, i see in my own life how much I love it when someone scratches my back... and I go to scratch theirs because they itch... then I have given to another the very thing that I myself LOVE! In passing that on... I also give it to myself. BUT, if I have an expectation that YOU must respond a certain way... then I cut myself off from receiving my own love, in favor of receiving yours. Then my gift comes with a price that YOU must pay. Then my gift comes with an obligation on YOUR part... that YOU must conform to.
That isn't love.
Love must be received. It can however be received by the giver, to the giver.
If it is also received by the one who you have given it too... then the rewards are quadrupled.
Because in giving, you receive when done so with love.
And when received by another, they too understand and know your reception of self also.
You receive twice, and they receive twice... PLUS the gift given.
But if you demand they receive so that you can feel love, then you may or may not receive your own love back... AND you and them will only feel the effect of a good business deal.
You won't feel the effect of love.
I would venture to say, that any man who has lived a life where they give with any expectation of how it is received... has not ever known the effect of love. I would be bold enough to say they have only known the effect of purchasing a toy. Toys themselves will also fail, and are discarded. But actual LOVE never does.
One very large problem I have witnessed in my brothers, is that they lack the desire to receive love. Of course they would, when the love they have known has come with a Price! Would wants to be a prostitute? Who wants to be the family wallet? Who wants to have a HONEY-DO list? Who wants to be the arms and legs and labor worker of a family for payment of possible affection? I know of no one who desires this. I know of many who live this way. Men and women who give with expectation... BOTH create and support the culture of purchasing effecting at a price. Unfortunately for us all... that business deal is ALWAYS in negotiation and none of it has any security to it.
To give real Love is also to receive real love from within.
To receive real love is also to Give real love to ones self and to the giver.
Love given to one who refuses, does nothing for the receiver.
Love not given to one who is seeking, does nothing for the seeker.
We cannot force love upon another. The very principle of love forbids that possibility. Love must be received freely, and given freely... because Love is the foundation of Freedom.
The very best we can hope for, is to create love, and have that love received not only by us alone, but also by all. I am so blessed, to have a wife who receives love and gives love freely without desire for record keeping or score taking. It seems my life's work in myself is to wipe-out all those old ideas that Love is outside of me and something I must be worthy of.
We cannot use our will to master love, for love is the master of our Will, and not the other way around. Love is OUR teacher, and we are not the teachers of Love. Love is OUR ruler and commander, and we are not the rulers and commanders of love. Love is the gift of the Universe itself.
Among all the Jain festivals Mahavir Jayanti is regarded as the most important festival of the Jains. It celebrates the birth anniversary of Mahavir. According to the Digambar school of Jainism, Lord Mahavira was born in the year 615 BC. He was the son of Siddhartha and Trisala.
It is said that the expectant mother had sixteen auspicious dreams before the child was born. Astrologers intepreting these dreams, stated that the child would be either an emperor or a Teerthankar. This religious event is largely observed by the Jains, by visiting sacred sites and worshipping the Teerthankars.
Mahavir Jayanti, is celebrated during the Hindu lunar month of Chaitra, festivities last for one day. Mahavir Jayanti occurs on the thirteenth day of Chaitra, right around the time of the full moon. Chaitra is equivalent to the months of March and April. The religion of Jainism does not believe in God as a creator, survivor, and destroyer of the universe.
#1 - Living, loving Spirit, let me practice forgiveness today by starting with the little hurts. I will let go of all the everyday occurrences that do not go the way I want, and the moment I begin to feel the familiar feeling of anger or resentment, I will practice forgiveness by invoking your loving and peaceful Presence and allowing divine grace to surround me. And so it is.
#2 - Living, loving Presence, I enter this moment of silence and consciously make the decision to unburden and detach myself from the painful memories of the past. I release to you everything that holds me back from my spiritual journey. I feel your power working in and through me in forgiving and letting go all that needs to be forgiven and released. And so it is.
I bow to the Siddhas (God) who are the liberated souls.
Namo Ayariyanam
I bow to the Achaaryas (Saadhu, Guru) who are the leaders of Order.
Namo Uvajzayanam
I bow to the Upaadhyaayes (Preachers) who are the learned preceptors.
Namo Loe Savva Sahoonam
I bow to all the Saadhus (Possessionless Monk) in the world.
Eso Pancha Namokaro
Savva Pava Ppanasano
Mangalanam cha Savvesim
Padhamam Havai Mangalam
This fivefold obeisance mantra, destroys all sins and obstacles, and of all auspicious repetitions, is the first and foremost.
Welcome to the world of Navkar, the world of immeasurable bliss, joy, and pure truth. Solutions offered through this Mahamantra are supposed to provide the reciter with great spiritual and material success, removes all evil and negative tendencies of the mind, destroy various aspects of misery and give divine peace of mind while removing any obstacles that may come in the way of individual's spiritual and material growth. Thus the mantra is attributed with powerful healing and curative properties. This Mahamantra can take man to the pinnacles of spirituality and holiness.
Image via Wikipedia“The best religion is the one that gets you closest to God. It is the one that makes you a better person.”
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