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FOUNDATION COURSEUNIT: 1 HISTORY OF JAINISM

1.1 Present sects of Jainism and Specialities.1.2 Penance, Dignity and Former lives of Lord Mahavir

1.3 Introduction of 24 Tirthankars. Why their number is 24 ?

1.4 Gandhars of 24 Tirthankars

1.5 Priests of Jains and Hereditary Lianage(Pat Parampara)

UNIT: 2 WONDERFUL STORIES IN JAIN RELIGION

2.1 Stories: Our valuable Heritage2.2 Shri Bhadrabahu Swami

2.3 Shri Vajra Swami

2.4 Shri Haribhadra Suri

2.5 Shri Hirvijay Suri

2.6 Shashan Samrat Shri Vijay Nemi Suri

2.7 Sadhvi(Female Monk) Chandan Bala

2.8 Sadhvi Pushp Choola2.9 Sadhvi Yakini Mahttara

2.10 Sadhvi Pahini Mata

2.11 Sadhvi Sunanda(Rupesen)

2.12 Great President: Abhay Kumar

2.13 Puniya Shravak

2.14 Great King Kumarpal

2.15 Sava-Soma2.16 Karma Shah

2.17 Sulasa

2.18 Manorama

2.19 Anupama Devi

2.20 Nagila


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UNIT: 3 JAIN FESTIVALS3.1 What is a festival? Its rules and regulations

3.2 New Year, New Life, An Auspicious Message

3.3 A Science of experience-knowledge is Gyan Panchami

3.4 Experience of Emancipation through conservation of vigour is Maun Ekadashi

3.5 Achievement of Death Contemplation(Samadhi Maran) is Posh Dashami

3.6 Nector of Devotion to God is Meru Terash

3.7 Worship of Chaudash after every four months.3.8 Worship of Shashvati : Navpadji Oli

3.9 Immortal worship of Akshaya Trutiya

3.10 Worship of five Kalyanakas of Tirthankars.

3.11 Three great worships-pilgrimages of Shatrunjaya

3.12 King of all festivals: Paryushana Maha Parva

UNIT: 4 JAIN AACHARS (MORALS) & ETHICS

4.1 What will you do to become a true Jain

4.2 Duties & rules of household life

4.3 21 virtues enlightening life

4.4 Important features of Jain Food

4.5 Eighteen ways of Sins

4.6 Science of Jainism: 12 Vows


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2.14 PUNIYA SHRAVAK

Puniya Shravak symbolised ideal worship and devotion. He was a devotee whose devotion was praised by Bhagwan Mahavir himRajgruhi, he came under the spell of Mahavirs discourses and began to practise aparigraha (abandonment of worldly possessions). He embraced pgave away all the wealth he had inherited from his father. He would be happy and contented with what he earned from making cotton threadscontentment had nothing to do with possessions, with wealth or acquisitiveness. It is simply a state of mind.

Being a truly devoted soul, he held co-religionists in high esteem and would invite, everyday, one of them and feed him with love and affesamayik (maintaining equinimity for a set period of time) with a heart full of devotion.

Once he could not worship with his usual concentration and was disturbed. He asked his wife to find out the reason. This set her thipause, she said, I found in my way a few cakes of dung and since they belonged to no one, I brought them home. Puniya shravak said,You did not dno one had claimed those cakes, they must belong to the state. Go and deposit them back where you found them. It was then that his conscience stoA slight aberration, and he would be disturbed.

Once the king Shrenik asked Tirthankar Bhagwan Mahavir about the state of his soul after death-where would it go? Thereupon MahavThe king wanted to know what he should do to avoid such a fate. Mahavir replied,You can avoid going to hell provided you get the punya(good deone samayik of Puniya Shravak.

The king approached him with the request. Shravak asked him to find out from Mahavir the real worth(value) of a samayik. Bhagwan saito set any value to his samayik as it was invaluable.

Meru is the tallest mountain. The value of one Samayik of Puniya Shravak was worth the value of piles of money as tall as the Meru.explained it differently. He said,One goes to buy a horse and the price of a leash for the horse will be equal to the total value of money in king Shreniprice of the horse will be worth the value of one samayik.

Shrenik realised that his entire wealth would not be able to buy even one samayikof Puniya. He felt the highest reverence for his devotioa life of renunciation, self-denial and non-possessiveness, the life of a true shravak.

How great must be the one who was praised by Bhagwan Mahavir himself.! The importance of samayik manifested itself in the life osamayik performed with a pure heart and devotion can put one on the path of liberation and help to ward off evils.

Scriptures says that if one donates gold everyday and the other performs samayik, the one who donates gold cannot stand in comparis

performs samayik.


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2.22 GANGAMA

The tradition of nagarsheth(a respectable citizen of a city) is a glorious chapter of Jinshasan. Sheth Shantidas was a generous, highly reHarkunvar, Gangama, Mohiniba etc. were other names respected in society for their sterling qualities and they all belonged to the respectable family o

Gangaben, the wife of Sheth Dalpatbhai, was a highly religious lady. In A.D.1865, Dalpatbhai had undertaken a pilgrimage to ShatrMulchandraji Maharaj was a member of the group of pilgrims. Vriddhichandraji Maharaj had arrived from Palitana. Gangama spent almost a fortuSadhu-Sadhvi and Shravak-Shravika.

She symbolised love, compassion and service. She was a true mother to one and all-caring and loving. She was compared to Anupam

temples on Abu. In A.D.1911, four Sanghs had undertaken, at her instance, a pilgrimage to Ahmedabad. Shri Ratnavijayji composed a work to memorable event.

Once Gangama was absorbed listening to a discourse by Acharya Shri Nemisuishwaraji. He, in his inimitable style, exhorted people notto protect the pilgrim centers. His speech set Gangama thinking.

At that time the British were building a guest house on the mountain of Sametshikhar for tourists and for those who visited the placehunting. Gangama diapproved of the idea. Why this assault on the sacred land of tirthankars, munis and pious souls? she wondered. She was

something to prevent the sacred land from becoming profane, a land for merry making and drinking bouts. She began praying Bhagwan Parshremembered the illustrious line of her ancestors. Sheth Shantidas had fought the Aurangzeb, the religious fanatic, to protect the pilgrim-centresJinshasan and had profound attachment for the places of pilgrimage.

A place of pilgrimage can inspire one to scale spiritual heights. Gangama was a truly devoted soul and her devotion to religion inspsomething for the protection of centers of pilgrimage and thus for the protection of religion itself. When Gangamas son Lalbhai brought meal for her, in the plate. Lalbhai was baffled. Gangama said, Acharya Nemisurishwarji is worried about the protection of pilgrim centers. You are a nagarshethgiven even a thought to it. If you are to remain passive, then wear these bangles and give me your authority. I will fight and sacrifice my life.

These angry words of his mother inspired Lalbhai to do something. He launched a fight against the British government and prevented guest house on Sametshikhar.

Gangama held Sadhu-Sadhvi in high esteem and would see it that they observed the five mahavrata (vows) scrupulously. She woustandards of personal rectitude and piety-a staunch protector of religion as she was !

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