Jains in USA should ponder over future of Jainism

It has come to my confirmed knowledge that some Jains and others in India are in the process of launching a registered society (under ‘Societies Registration Act’) the ‘Sammed Shikharji Samadhan Samiti’ (SSSS) which will not only resolve the Sammed Shikharji (the top most pilgrim center of Jainism in the State of Jharkhand of India) dispute as per justice but will go a long way in spreading the ‘Prabhavna’ of Jainism in India and in the USA. The necessity, implications and fall-outs of the SSSS are given below:-

(1)- The main objective of Samiti is to resolve (in accordance with justice) the Sammed Shikharji dispute [between Digamber Jains, Shwetamber Jains (including Sthanakvasi) and Local people (including & especially Tribes)] which is going on for many decades including in courts and in which now the local tribes are being instigated by powerful politicians (mainly of Hindutva forces) by even pitting Jainism against Hinduism. In this dispute-resolution the followers of other religions are also interested as it (by precedence) will protect the fundamental rights (related to religion) of every citizen of India. Hence in the interest of achieving this objective, the non-Jain members are also joining the SSSS.

(2)-  The SSSS shall talk to all the parties of the Sammed Shikharji dispute (and to well wishers) to reach an out-of-court amicable settlement of this dispute. In case no such out-of-court settlement is possible, the SSSS shall file a writ petition in the Supreme Court of India under Article 32 of the Constitution (for protecting fundamental right of religion as enshrined in Article 25 & 26 of the Constitution). On this writ petition two third signatories shall be members of the SSSS from Jain Community (Digamber & Shwetambar including Sthanakvasi) and these Jain signatories shall be at least from two third States or Union Territories of India. The financial resources for SSSS will be mobilized by taking donations of Rs 10 from about 1 million Jain families in India and $ 10 from about 20 thousand Jain families in the USA.

(3)- Regarding this matter an appeal by SOME Digambaras & Shvetambaras (who don’t represent all Jains) against Ranchi High Court judgment 2004 (as given at https://indiankanoon.org/doc/1662010/ ) is pending in the Supreme Court of India (SCI). Hence the SSSS will pray (i)- To club this writ petition with these appeals (ii)- Entire area of hill-peaks /  tonks (where out of 24, the 20 Tirthankaras of Jainism attained Nirvana / Moksha and other traditionally sacred places to Jains) should be with Government of Jharkhand (as per Bihar Land Reforms Act) and can be managed (as mentioned at S.No 71, 72 & 73 of said High Court judgment 2004) by a Govt appointed Committee (in which Jains from all denominations of Jainism should be well represented) (iii)- The local Tribes should be allowed to conduct their traditional annual mela / fair (for 15 days) in the area without disturbing / interfering regular worship / prayers at said hill-peaks / Tonks  and without hurting the religious sentiments of Jains (hence the hunting, consumption & making of non-veg, alcohol etc should be prohibited in this mela) (iv)- At all these hill-peaks / tonks there should be no Pratima / Idol (of either Digambar or Shwetambar) and only Charans of these Tirthankars (or inscription about their Nirvan / Moksha) should be there as it will go a long way in eliminating the age-old fight between Didgambars and Shwetambars which is going-on about Sammed Shikharji.

(4)- Though 20 out of 24 Teerthankaras (Prophets) of Jains attained Nirvana / Moksha and large number of Munis spent their end of life in Sammed Shikharji but the Jainism (which has reduced itself to the level of an elite religion with negligible following) has failed to take local population of this area as its followers  (it is like no Muslim in Mecca-Madina region). Jainism was practiced considerably in India and in neighboring regions (even before and after King Kharvela’s time https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kharavela ) but Jains are now merely about 1% of India’s population. Whether Jains like it or not, if Jainism does not spread in the USA (where it can be up-dated creatively due to the propitious environment in the USA as compared to in India) then not only in the USA but also in India Jainism will wither away & vanish in due course of time.

(5)- Jainism opposes others to join Jainism including and especially from Schedule Castes, Schedule Tribes and Backward castes (which continue to be demoralized due to reservation). There is nothing wrong with reservation in government services if any group of people in India believes that it can’t get proportional & just representation in government services on MERIT (though it will give reservation to Muslims also but Jains should have no objection to it) . This problem can be solved if Jains especially their religious leaders insist that (i)- These Castes should not take reservation in the name of Dalits & Backwards because it demoralizes the beneficiaries and demoralized people can neither run democracy nor can get justice from democratic State. (ii)- Whoever joins Jainism should adopt the lifestyle of present Jains, especially their food habits etc. [by keeping in view whether the military of Jain King Kharvela was also having same food habits as present day Jains are having (or advised by Jain Munis) in India].

(6)-  Most of the problems of Jainism can be solved if Jainism tries to spread in the USA, including by religious-conversion (of white Americans, native Americans, people of Asian, African, Latino origins and others). In the modern age conversion (voluntarily, non-violently and transparently) from one religion to another should be allowed rather be somewhat encouraged. Every religion came into existence before modern democracy (with universal adult franchise) hence their values conflict with the modern age of Secular democracy (which is necessary for a free mind and which is sine-qua-non for powerful modern science & technology). Therefore if Jains & their religious leaders try to spread Jainism in the USA then Jainism will automatically be up-dated and will have a salutary effect on the spread of Jainism in India too.

(7)- If religion is necessary (to take care of life’s purpose & other-worldly matters of the people) then the followers of religion should take the matters (related to their religion and related to their religious leaders) seriously, responsibly and with scrutiny. This will become clear when the Jains in the USA will ponder – why the Jain Samaj of the USA is not producing their religious leaders (Muni Maharaj, Mataji and others) to the more or less extent as they are in India ?

It is hoped that the SSSS will usher the entire mankind into a new era for not only Jainism (in India & in the USA) but also for all the religions being practiced all across the world (by taking cue from this example of the SSSS)  which will make all the religions to contribute positively & creatively in shaping the increasingly globalizing mankind as a meaningful, progressive & peaceful society.