Formation | 1981 |
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Type | Jain religious organization |
Purpose | Religious, charitable, nonprofit |
Headquarters | New York City, United States |
Region served | United States, Canada |
Official language | English |
President | Haresh Shah |
Affiliations | Jain organizations in USA and Canada |
Website | www |
JAINA is an acronym for the Federation of Jain Associations in North America, an umbrella organizations to preserve, practice, and promote Jainism in USA and Canada. [1] [2] It was founded in 1981 and formalized in 1983. [3] Among Jain organization it is unique in that it represents Jains of all sects, and thus effectively represents the entire Jain community in USA and Canada.
The Jain Center of Southern California [4] was founded in 1979. Lalit Shah, its Vice President in 1980, suggested establishment of an umbrella organization of all the Jain organizations in North America. At that time about 15 Jain organizations were in existence, including the Jain Center of America, Jain Meditation International Center founded by Chitrabhanu, International Mahavir Jain Mission founded by Sushil Kumar, and Jain centers in Boston [5] and Chicago. The plan for JAINA was conceptualized at the first Jain Convention held in Los Angeles in 1981, and formalized at the second Jain Convention in New York in 1983, with the advice and approval of Chitrabhanu and Sushil Kumar. [6]
The conventions are now termed JAINA Conventions, and have been held biennially in Los Angeles, New York, Detroit, Chicago, Toronto, San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Toronto, Philadelphia, Chicago, Cincinnati, Houston, Detroit, Atlanta, New Jersey & Los Angeles. [7] JAINA also publishes textbooks on Jainism, a calendar, and a monthly magazine, and operates an online Jain library.[ citation needed ]
There are over 70 organizations that are part of JAINA. JAINA represents over 160,000 Jains in USA and Canada.[ citation needed ] It also has 32 subcommittees involved in different activities, including Young Jains of America(YJA), for ages 14–29.[ citation needed ]
The Federation of Jain Associations in North America uses a modified version of the standard Jain symbol, the Jain Prateek Chihna. It replaces the swastika with a Jain Aum because of the negative connotations associated with the swastika in the western world. [8]
JAINA conventions draw thousands of representatives from Jain communities in the USA and Canada. [9] [10] [11] [12]
There are over 30 JAINA committees. Based on the needs, these committees are more or less active and are at times retired.
JAINA has been involved in several interfaith actions.[ citation needed ] It also organizes relief activities. [15]
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The JAINA Ratna Award is the highest recognition awarded by the North American Jain community for major long term contributions. The first one was given in 1989 to Prof. Duli Chandra Jain for his pioneering editing and publication "Jain Study Circle" [16] [17] It is awarded irregularly after 2–6 years. So far nine JAINA Ratna Awards have been given. The JAINA Ratna award is distinct from the 26 Jain Ratna awards given by the Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee on the occasion of Lord Mahavira's 2600th birth anniversary celebrations. [18]
Young Jains of America (YJA) is the youth arm of the Federation of the Jain Associations in North America (JAINA), a non-profit religious organization. YJA serves Jain youth from ages 14–29. YJA was first established in 1991, and held its first biennial youth convention in 1994, and having biennial conventions there on after.
Worldcon, or more formally the World Science Fiction Convention, the annual convention of the World Science Fiction Society (WSFS), is a science fiction convention. It has been held each year since 1939. The members of each Worldcon are the members of WSFS, and vote both to select the site of the Worldcon two years later, and to select the winners of the annual Hugo Awards, which are presented at each convention.
The Śvetāmbara is one of the two main branches of Jainism, the other being the Digambara. Śvetāmbara in Sanskrit means "white-clad", and refers to its ascetics' practice of wearing white clothes, which sets it apart from the Digambara or "sky-clad" Jains whose ascetic practitioners go nude. Śvetāmbaras do not believe that ascetics must practice nudity.
Saitwal is a Digambara Jain community of Maharashtra. Swahitwal means that they work for the benefit of their inner self (Swa+hit+wal).
Adherents of Jainism first arrived in the United States in the 20th century. Jain immigration began in earnest in the late 1960s and continues to the present day.
Virachand Raghavji Gandhi was a Jain scholar who represented Jainism at the first World Parliament of Religions in 1893. A barrister by profession, he worked to defend the rights of Jains, and wrote and lectured extensively on Jainism, other religions, and philosophy.
Karnataka, a state in South India has a long association with Jainism, a religion which enjoyed patronage of major historic kingdoms in the state such as the Rastrakuta Dynasty, Western Ganga, Kadamba and Chalukya dynasties and the Hoysala Empire. Today the state is home to a number of Jain monuments, such as temples, Gommata statues and stambhas.
Jain symbols are symbols based on the Jain philosophy.
Jainism is an ancient Indian religion belonging to the śramaṇa tradition. It prescribes ahimsa (non-violence) towards all living beings to the greatest possible extent. The three main teachings of Jainism are ahimsa, anekantavada (non-absolutism), aparigraha (non-possessiveness). Followers of Jainism take five main vows: ahimsa, satya, asteya, brahmacharya (chastity), and aparigraha. Monks follow them completely whereas śrāvakas (householders) observe them partially. Self-discipline and asceticism are thus major focuses of Jainism.
Nepal Dalit Sangh is a Nepalese Dalit movement linked to the Nepali Congress. When the Nepali Congress was divided and the Nepali Congress (Democratic) was formed, a splinter Nepal Dalit Sangh (Prajatantrik) was formed as the NC(D) Dalit wing by ratifying the Committee of Ratna Bahadur Bishwakarma, Which was already formed as alternative parallel central committee by agitating with organizing committee in Biratnagar 2nd Convention of Nepal dalit Sangh. With the reunification of NC and NC(D) the NDS and NDS(P) were also reunified, and in August 2007 the Nepali Congress appointed a 39-member ad hoc committee of NDS, with Khadga Bahadur Basyal (Sarki) as president and Jeevan Pariyar as general secretary. Founder of nepal Dalit Sangh are Ratna Bahadur Bishwakarma - Dailekh, Dal Singh Kami- Gorkha, Ganesh Pariyar- Kaski, Padma Singh Bishwakarma- Baglung, Bijul kumar Bishwakarma- Dang and Man Bahadur Bishwakarma -Arghakhachi. Nepal Dalit Sangh was born in 2054 BS. Nepal Bikaswonmukh Samaj Sangh was named Before the name of Nepal Dalit Sangh. 2012 AD Nepal Dalit Sangh has done its 4th national convention and Mr. Meen Bahadur Bishwakarma has been elected as president. Nepal Dalit Sangh NDS is one of the leading democratic Organization for Dalit community of Nepal. NDs has a 75 members in body of central committee. Dipak Soni was a secretary in central committee of Nepal Dalit sangh till 2021, from January 2022, Mr. Soni is appointed as acting General secretary and Mr. Bhiusen Damai has been newly nominated as secretary for remaining tenure of NDA central committee. rest of two secretaries are MS. Devika Nepali and Mr. Dharmendra Paswan are also representing to women and madheshi dalit group in the same committee respectively.
Jainism in North Karnataka flourished under the Chalukyas, Kadamba, Rashtrakutas, and Vijayanagara Empire. Imbued with religious feeling, patronage was extended towards the building of Jain temple and it garnered high repute among the people, particularly the ruling classes and the mercantile community; effectively getting treated as the state religion.
The Jain Center of America (JCA) was the first Jain temple organized and registered in America, in 1976, and is the oldest Jain temple in the Western hemisphere. The temple is located at 43-11 Ithaca Street, in Elmhurst, Queens, New York City. The temple houses shrines for Mahavir in the Śvētāmbara tradition, Rishabhanatha in the Digambar tradition, Upashraya in the Sthanakvasi tradition and a meditation hall for the Shrimad Rajchandra tradition.
Sushil Kumar was a Jain teacher and monk. He was a self-realized master who devoted more than 50 years to promoting non-violence, peace and knowledge of the self.
Gurudev ShreeChitrabhanu was a prominent figure in American Jainism. He was one of the co-founders of JAINA.
Jain art refers to religious works of art associated with Jainism. Even though Jainism has spread only in some parts of India, it has made a significant contribution to Indian art and architecture.
The Brahma Jinalaya, sometimes called as the Greater Jain Temple of Lakkundi, is an early 11th-century Mahavira temple in Lakkundi, Gadag District of Karnataka state, India. The temple is attributed to Attiyabbe, the wife of the local governor Dandanayaka Nagadeva. It faces east, has a mukhamandapa, a gudhamandapa and its sanctum is covered by a sur-temple style vimana superstructure. The temple is notable for its reliefs depicting Jaina artwork, statues of the Tirthankaras and the two statues of Brahma and Saraswati inside its inner mandapa.
Jain Center of Southern California (JCSC) is a leading Jain Center in America. It was founded on September 15, 1979. JCSC played a major role in founding of JAINA, the umbrella Jain organization of North America and hosted the first Jaina convention in 1981.
The 1904 St. Louis Jain temple is a historic structure that was constructed for the 1904 St. Louis World's fairs, termed "Louisiana Purchase Exposition". It was the first building in the United States designated as a Jain temple, since it was a temple in India, although there were no Jains in the United States at that time. It later stood in Las Vegas where some members of the Los Angeles Jain community discovered it in 1980. It now stands within the Jain Center of Southern California in Los Angeles.
Acharya Chandana, known as Tai Maharaj by her devotees, is an Indian Jain nun of the Amarmuni Sampradaya. Chandana is the first Jain sadhvi to be awarded the title of Acharya and the Padma Shri. Chandana is known for her social engagement and for popularising the notion of 'seva' among the Jain community. She is the founder of Veerayatan, a non-profit, non-governmental organization based in Rajgir with centers in over ten countries.
Brampton Jain Temple or the Bhagwan 1008 Adinatha Swamy Jain Temple, is the first Jain temple in Canada constructed using traditional Indian architecture. The temple is located at 7875 Mayfield Road in Brampton, ON Canada, L7E 0W1. The temple houses shrines for Rishabhanatha.