ISJS Newsletter (February, 2022 Issue#1)

Fortnightly NewsletterInternational School for Jain Studies(A Division of Amar Prerana Trust)Vol#05 | Issue#02 | No.01 | February 2022SELF STUDY IS THE SUPREME AUSTERITYO O LHFCOSRLJAANINOISTTAUNDRIEETSNIB hubal was the stepbrother of Bharata (eldest son and āīlater the first emperor of the country known after his name) and son of the first t rthankara Lord din tha. In his īĀāquest to be the emperor (cakravart), Bharata asked B hubal to surrender his kingdom which B hubal āīāīdeclined. Both came to the battlefield with their massive armies. Before starting the war, they both agreed to have a duel fight to decide the winner, rather than have hundreds of soldiers killed in the war for them. In the duel, B hubal āīwon all rounds which forced Bharata to use the 'supreme wheel' to kill B hubal . The wheel, circumambulating āīB hubal thrice, returned to Bharat as it had a limitation to āīnot work on family members. It made B hubal thinking, āī'for this small piece of land, I fought with my brother.' On the spot, he forgave Bharata, gifted the kingdom to him and renounced the worldly life. He stood there, as shown in the picture, for six months, completely immersed in his inner self; endured all afflictions caused by weather, creepers climbing on his body and ants making mud hills around his feet. As a result, he attained the true insight (kevalajñ naāand later became the first liberated soul (siddha). His life represents the supreme practice of the Jain spiritual values as given above.ī) Lord : An Epitome of Jain Dharma/kEeks eaxyeqfDdÎa] vfgalk lateks roksA nsok fo ra uealafr] tLl /kEes l;k e.kksAA“That which is non-violence, self-restraint and austerity is Dharma (spiritual value). It is by virtue of spiritual values that supreme spiritual beneficence results. To him whose mind is (absorbed) in spiritual values even gods pay homage.” (Da avaik lika Sutra 1.1, Samana Suttam 82)śāB hubalāīStatue of B hubalat ravanabelagolaŚāīPresident, ISJS

The objective of all activities in our life is to be happy. We do not deliberately undertake any activity which results in pain. Jainism preaches a way of life so that we can achieve happiness with our own efforts. Jainism, one of the three major religions of ancient India, has been continuously practiced based on the core principles of non-violence (ahimsā), truth (satya), strenuous effort ( śrama) and righteous conduct (samyak-c ritraā). It is not just a static philosophical system, but an evolutionary way of life that is always relevant for the welfare of mankind.Since its inception in 2005, International School for Jain Studies (ISJS) is working with an earnest objective of propagating and promoting these aspects of Jainism globally through imparting knowledge to the scholars and researchers coming from the institutions of repute from all over the world through summer and schools, holding seminars and workshops, research publications, online quarterly research journal and many books. ISJS through its Teaching for Peace (TFP) program is engaged in training school teachers to adopt non-violence and peace, and apply the same in their teaching methods to enhance learning and boost discipline. Recently, in 2018, ISJS launched a nine-month long PG Diploma study program in Prakrit (language of Jain scriptures) which has become its annual feature. ISJS takes sincere efforts in assisting activities in life to be happy.Through this page, I intend to keep you informed about the ISJS activities in promoting Jain studies and enhancing your own wellness and the world at large. I humbly invite comments and suggestions for making the whole thing more effective.Shrinetra Pandey, PhD1FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK

International School for Jain Studies (ISJS) offers an excellent proposal for overseas university students, staff and researchers as well as high school teachers to visit India in Summer 2022 and learn the doctrine of ahimsa (nonviolence) and Jainism and their relevance in today's lifestyle. These are the most popular annual programs of ISJS since its inception:: This three-week program is designed to cater to the needs of undergraduate, graduate, degree holders, PhD candidates, professors, and faculty in Religion, Philosophy, South Asian Studies, Anthropology and other related subjects who desire to learn about Jainism as a part of their higher education.: This five-week advanced program is designed for serious and motivated graduate and PhD students, post-doctoral scholars and full-time teaching-cum-research faculty members involved in the study of Religion, South Asian Religions, languages, Anthropology, Theology and allied subjects.: This program is designed for high school teachers & educators who wish to integrate practical nonviolence into their lives, classrooms and schools.for details of 3W & 5W programfor details of TFP programPlease note that this year the program will be conducted physically.Visit for the application process.Kindly promote these programs and enhance interest in academic studies of Jainism globally.]]]Apply before February 28, 2022 to get 5% concession for all the courses. Special financial assistance is also available only for the 5W program. Please visit to apply online.ISSJS.2022-3W (June 16 – July 06, 2022 at Delhi & Pune)ISSJS.2022-5W (June 16 – July 20, 2022 at Delhi & Pune)ISSJS.2022-Teaching for Peace (July 11 – July 31, 2022 at Delhi, Jaipur, Jalgaon and Pune)Click hereClick herewww.isjs.inwww.isjs.inExcellent Opportunities to Acquire Experiential Knowledge of Jainism in Summer 2022NEW EDUCATION PROGRAMS OPEN FOR REGISTRATION2

ISJS invites applications from interested scholars for the rd3 Bhagwan Mahavira Fellowship to study Prakrit (a language of Jain canonical literature) in India for nine months in 2022-23. The fellowship offers boarding, lodging, study material and local travel expenses in India apart from learning from the experts.Third Bhagwan Mahavira Prakrit Fellowship Program in India3rd3 Bhagwan Mahavira Prakrit FellowshipPrakrit Study Program In India (2022-23)This is an excellent opportunity to Post-doctoral research fellows/Doctoral Candidates/Post-graduate students in Philosophy/History/Indology/Languages/ Linguistics/Religious Studies. Professors on research leave will also be considered. to see the announcement.Click hereVirtual Meeting between ISJS and JAINA-ALCPROGRAM/EVENT CONCLUDEDA virtual meeting between ISJS-team and JAINA-ALC (Academic Liaison Committee of JAINA) members was held on Saturday, February 12, 2022. The purpose of the meeting was to introduce the new members of ISJS to the ALC members, and to make them acquainted about the ongoing projects as well as new initiatives of ISJS. Future collaborations between ISJS and JAINA-ALC were also discussed at length. The meeting was fruitful providing excellent exposure to ALC abut ISJS staff to explore opportunities for greater utilisation of ISJS services.ndThe 2 Bhagwan Mahavira Prakrit Study Program for nine months (September 01, 2021-May 31, 2022) has completed five months successfully. The three selected fellows – Mr. Anthony Ruda from the USA, Ms. Trisha from Delhi and Ms. Pragya Jain from ISJS are pursuing their study at Gujarat University, Ahmedabad under the guidance of Prof. Dinanath Sharma from February 01, 2022. They are getting accustomed to the grammatical rules which are used in declensional forms of the words in Prakrit. With the due course, selected verses from Vibh sana-vidh na-kath Paumacariuīāā () and BhagavatīĀ ār dhanā are dealt with for the sake of understanding methods of translations.Bhagwan Mahavira Prakrit FellowshipCURRENT PROGRAMS

4Rhythm of Life RetreatUPCOMING SEMINAR OR PROJECTSISJS is conducting first of its kind retreat on Rhythm of Life in June 2022. A description of the retreat follows:You find yourself constantly switching roles in your life between being a parent, a spouse, someone's child, colleague, friend, and so on. Everything you think, know about yourself, and who you think you are is based on something else, someone else. Does it make you wonder “Who are you beyond all the roles you play? Why are you here? What is your purpose in life?”Being unable to answer the question “Who am I?” leads to the creation of various identities for oneself, which ultimately leads you to separation from your inner higher self. Our ancient Indian philosophies, including Jainism, remind us that the root cause of our suffering is forgetting who you really are beyond all these roles you take on in your human life. Once strongly grounded in our inner higher self and our purpose, the way we experience and respond to our outer world changes for the greater good.Our retreat “The Rhythm of Life,” set in a beautiful natural environment, is designed to help you bring harmony between your inner and outer world. The principles used are based on ancient Indian philosophies, especially Jain principles, modern scientific findings, and wisdom from other traditions as well. ISJS team strives to create a safe environment for you to reflect, learn, interact, relax and enjoy. The retreat will enable you to take some time out, step back from your busy life, slow down, give yourself a chance to reassess your own personal operating system and leave the retreat with a personalized plan of new lifestyle habits and a supportive community for at least 21 days. We are confident that once you practice your learning and commit to practice the same as frequently as you can, you will experience higher levels of happiness and make the world around you a happier place.Detailed brochure will be available soon. To know more, contact:[email protected]

5Book Review in ISJS-Transactions (Online Research Journal)ISJS invites newly published books on Jainism for review. The book should not have been published before 2020. Authors/Editors/Publishers are requested to send two copies of the book (one for the reviewer and another for ISJS library). Only one book along with the review article on that can also be sent:The books can be sent to:The Editor,ISJS-TransactionsC/o International School for Jain StudiesFirodia Hostel, 844, BMCC RoadShivaji Nagar, Pune-411004 (MH)RESEARCH & PUBLICATIONCall for Papers ISJS invites research papers for its upcoming issues of ISJS-Transactions. The journal is open for scholars/researchers/faculty members for their research papers on various aspects of Jainology, viz. philosophy, philology, culture, religion, history, archaeology, art & architecture, science, and many more. Research papers can be sent to or .before sending the abstract and research paper acrossFor previous issues [email protected]@isjs.in guidelinesClick here

NEWS FROM INDIALecture by Prof. Rajmal JainInstitute of Jainology organized a lecture on “Space and Time: Jain Religion and Scientific View” by Dr. Rajmal Jain. This lecture was organized under monthly lecture series by Institute of Jainology on February 05, 2022.6Webinar on Nomenclature of BharatBharatiya Jnanpith, Delhi organized a webinar on Nomenclature of Bharat on February 05, 2022. The webinar was conducted under the monthly lecture series “Vaak” on a book “Bharatanama” edited by Dr. Prabhakiran Jain. Mr. Amit Rai Jain, Dr. Pankhuri Joshi, Mr. Sanjay Sonvani and Dr. Jaykumar Upadhye expressed their views on the subject. In the presence of Prof. Shriprakash Mani Tripathi, Dr. Swastishri Charukirti presided the webinar. Sahu Akhilesh Jain, Managing Trustee of Janapith and Mr. Madhusudan Anand were present in the session.Dr. Jain is an acclaimed astrophysicist who has made fundamental contribution to the development of Solar and Planetary Physics and related instrumentation in India. He was a scientist at Physical Research Laboratory, Department of Space, Government of India. He is one of the founders of the Udaipur Solar Observatory (USO) and has been a key contributor to its growth.

NEWS FROM ABROADNew look of JainpediaJainpedia, a project of the Institute of Jainology, UK has revamped its website and included many new manuscripts. Jainpedia has a collection of over 4,000 manuscripts digitized from the British Library, the Bodleian (Oxford), the Welcome Trust, the Asiatic Society, and the Victoria and Albert Museum. This has been supplemented with hundreds of articles from prominent scholars, overseen by Prof. Nalini Balbir, and also includes an excellent e-Library.After many years of hard work, the institute's dedicated team has ensured that the site is much improved in this new version. Some of the new additions include:¢Mobile-friendly interface with a contemporary and responsive design¢Improved navigation and sign-postingst¢An updated ‘Timeline’ with added 21 Century events and milestones¢The Catalogue of Jain Manuscripts in the British Library is available in the e-Library ¢The e-Library has been fully renovated and with new publications added¢Increased accessibility featuresThe institute seeks US colleges, universities and Jain communities making good use of the available resources in teaching Jainism to bear fruits to their hard-work.www.jainpedia.orgA Virtual International Conference on Beyond Violence: Jainism, Plurality, and World ReligionsClaremont School of Theology and Jain Studies program at Florida International University are organizing a virtual international conference on “Beyond Violence: Jainism, plurality and World Religions” on February 18 & 19, 2022 at 8:30 am (PT). In this conference, 17 scholars from five countries will present their papers. Dr. Abhay Firodia, Chairman, Amar Prerana Trust, and International School for Jain Studies (ISJS), Pune, India, Dr. Jeffery D. Long, Carl W. Zeigler Professor of Religious Studies, Elizabethtown College, USA and Atmarpit Vidhiji, Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur (SRMD), India are the Keynote Speakers.To attend the conference, registration is required. to register. For Conference schedule and abstracts For keynote addresses Click hereClick hereClick here7

Post-Doctoral Position in Jain Studies at University of IllinoisThe Department of Religion at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign invites applications for the Bhagwan Munisuvrata Swami post-doctoral research fellowship in Jain Studies. This is a one-year appointment with the possibility of renewal for a second year, with a start date of August 16, 2022. The successful candidate will have a record of excellence in research and some experience in undergraduate teaching. Field of specialization is open, but preference will be given to candidates with a demonstrated ability to teach courses in one or more of the following areas: the history of Jainism, Jain philosophy and ethics, Jainism in diaspora, and/or South Asian religious traditions. The expected teaching load is one course in the fall semester and two in the spring.PhD or equivalent terminal degree is required. Applicants must have completed all degree requirements by August 15, 2022. To apply for this position, please create a candidate profile at and upload your cover letter and resume by February 21, 2022. to know more.https://jobs.illinois.edu Click hereBhagwan Suparshvanatha Endowed Professorship in Jain Studies Establishment Ceremony at University of Colorado at Denver, ColoradoThe College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at University of Colorado is organizing a virtual celebration of the establishment of the Bhagwan Suparshvanatha Endowed Professorship in Jain Studies at the University of Colorado, Denver, USA on Thursday, February 24, 2022 at 04:00 PM – 05:30 PM (3PM PST / 6PM EST).The endowed professorship represents a partnership between CU Denver and the Jain community and aligns with the university's goal to be officially recognized as an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI) and the 2030 Strategic Plan goal of becoming an equity-serving institution. to register to receive the Zoom link. to know moreClick hereClick here8

International School for Jain Studies(A Division of Amar Prerana Trust)C/o Firodia Hostel, 844, BMCC RoadShivaji Nagar, Pune-411 004 (MH)E-mail: | Web: [email protected] STUDY IS THE SUPREME AUSTERITYO O LHFCOSRLJAANINOISTTAUNDRIEETSNIClick hereto subscribe NewsletterClick herefor Previous Issues2022 Summer Programs on JainismFor undergraduates, graduates, PhD candidates and faculty members3-week & 5-week residential program in IndiaFor more detailsVisit www.isjs.inTEACHING FOR PEACEAn Experiential Learning for NonviolenceA 3-week residential program in Indiafor K-12 teachers, consultants and educatorsFor more detailsvisit www.isjs.inOPPORTUNITY TO ENJOY THE SUMMER OF 2022 AT THE PICTURESQUE, SEREN MEDITATION CUM TRAINING RETREAT NEAR PUNE AND LEARN NON VIOLENCE & JAINISM AS WELL