Author: Kishor B Shah

It is universally accepted that we are facing an environmental and ecological crisis. The Earth we inhibit is in grave danger, afflicted by rapidly increasing global ecological threats such as the depletion of the ozone layer, global warming, massive deforestation, the extinction of many species and loss of biodiversity, poisonous toxic chemicals and nuclear wastes and exponential population growth. This are all because of mankind’s greed, ignorance, violent and unrestrained exploitation, and use of the Earth’s natural resources.

Kashayas - Passions in Jainism are the main cause of Karma bondage. Passions distort the true nature of the soul. As long passions are present, the soul will remain in the endless cycle of birth and death.  The word Kashaya can be broken down into “Kash”, meaning worldly life and “aya” meaning gain. Therefore, Kashaya means to gain worldly life again and again.

Ayambil Oli is considered very auspicious, efficacious, and as one of the most important festivals in Jainism. The festival is also considered to be ‘shashwathi’ – meaning the festival is eternal, existing in all time cycles of past, present & future. Ayambil is one of the external or Bahya Tap falling within Rasparityag – giving up attachment for taste. Jains consider the austerity of Ayambil as a way to purify the body and mind, encourage spiritual growth and practice self-restraint. By observing Ayambil, one can experience various health benefits and live in harmony with the environment.

In the annals of Jainism, one of earliest and the most renowned and revered Acharya and author of the Jain philosophy is known to Svetambara Jains as Umasvati and to Digambara Jains as Umasvamin or Umasvami. His seminal work - Tattvartha Sutra represents the epitome of Jain philosophy and enjoys the same status among Jains as say the Bible for Christians, the Quran for Muslims, the Gita for Hindus, or the Vedanta Sutra in Vendanta philosophy.

The festival of Maun Ekadashi (also known as Maun Agyaras) is an auspicious Jain festival which falls on the 11th day of the month Magshar (Magshar Sud 11). Maun Ekadashi is the Sanskrit term and in Gujarati it is known as Maun Agyāras or 'Silence Eleventh'.

“Peace is at the centre of spiritual life and Ahimsa is the means to this peace.” “Ahimsa is standing up against any forms of violence, of thought, speech and actions, be it against human beings, animal world, environment, the earth, planets, trees, and rivers and so on....”

The first World’s Parliament of Religions held in Chicago in 1893, was almost a tailpiece, an afterthought of the great Columbian Exhibition of 1892 and has been acclaimed as equal to if not greater than Ashok’s Council of Pataliputra, Constantine’s at Nicaea or Akbar’s meetings at Fatehpur Sikri. Today, the 1893 Parliament is recognized as the birthplace of the worldwide interfaith movement. It lasted for seventeen days in September of 1893 and brought together some four hundred men and women representing forty-one denominations and religious traditions.