The preparations for the virtual 21st Biennial JAINA Convention are underway and, on the path, to becoming one of the most unique Jain events in the world.

It is our pleasure to cordially invite you and your family to a virtual Town Hall Meeting for West Region on Saturday, April 10th, 2021 at 11 AM PST. During this brief 30 minute presentation, the JAINA Convention team will provide an overview of the activities planned for this unique convention and how you can help in making this event a success.

The presentation will be followed by a Q&A period where you can ask any questions you have about this year’s convention. This virtual Town Hall meeting will be attended by the JAINA Convention Planning Team, your JAINA Regional Vice President, your local JAINA Directors, and Sangh Presidents, and your local community members.

The JAINA Convention brings together thousands of attendees, spiritual leaders, renowned speakers, and dignitaries from around the world. For the first time in JAINA history, the JAINA Convention has expanded to international audiences and will be hosted entirely virtually. We welcome attendees from the USA, Canada, India, Europe, Africa, UAE, Australia, and across the globe.

The 21st JAINA Convention will bring together more than 70+ Speakers, 130+ Sessions, 40+ NextGen Events, Virtual Tirth Darshan, Cultural Shows, Spiritual Dramas, Bollywood Entertainment, Jain Academic Bowl, Jain Connect, Jains Got Talent, Young Jain Professionals (YJP), Youth Activities by Young Jains of America (YJA), and much more! A JAINA Convention that will enlighten us with knowledge, entertainment, networking opportunities - all in a state-of-the-art virtual platform.

To join the session, please join via Zoom using the link below:
When: Saturday, April 10th, 2021
Time: 11 AM PST Click the Below Link to
Join the Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 957 2299 4771 | Password: JAINA

After reaching the initial goal of raising One Million Dollars for 2020-2021, with the support of the community, JAINA Vaiyavach Committee has increased fundraising goal to $1.5 million for 2021 so that we can attend to the requests of other worthwhile Vaiyavach projects from the community. Among the requests we are considering projects from Bidada Sarvodaya Trust for Vaiyavach of Sadhu Sadhvis, a library with 40,000 books for the Academic center (Adhyan Kendra) for Sadhu Sadhvis near Sankheswara, a Vihardham between Antrikshji and Akola, and a Upashraya in Alok Nagar in Indore. The committee will study these proposals in detail and will attend to them as the funds are collected.

The fundraising is still ongoing for all the projects related to the “Vaiyavach” of Sadhus & Sadhvi Bhagwants of all sects. We request you to come forward and donate a tiny share to this noble cause.

Under the "KNOW YOUR JAINA" initiative, JAINA is introducing tirelessly working 36+ committees of JAINA who are energized to take JAINA to new heights. Jains across North America have greatly appreciated this program, giving awareness of each committee's people, mission, current activities, finances, and plans.

In the last two months, JAINA introduced its "Vaiyavach Committee" and "Academic Liaison Committee" and now, we proudly introduce "Jivdaya" Committee over a zoom meeting, explaining the mission of the committee, introduce the members of the committee, discuss current projects of the committee and the plans, etc. Also, it provides an open floor for a dialogue and question answers from the community.

This meeting in April will be for the Jivdaya Committee chaired by Ketanbhai Sheth, who will invite members of the community to join with them; appoint liaison members in each Sangh. For the rest of the month, the committee will reach out to the new volunteers and map out progress for the coming year.

For May, we will be showcasing JAINA Diaspora Committee by Dr Manishbhai Mehta and Overseas Relations Committee Chaired by Dilip V. Shah and Jaina India Foundation Chaired by Dr Bipin Doshi.

The April meeting ( Jivdaya ) is scheduled for April 17, 2021, at 10 AM PST/12 PM CST/1 PM EST.

Join the Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 963 6306 2470 | Password: JAINA Hope more of you can join and take advantage of it.

Shrimad Rajchandra Nijabhyas Mandap (self Study Group) and Vihar Bhavan Trust (Ahmedabad- Vadva-Idar) are conducting Shree Atmasiddhi Pratiyogita (competition) to celebrated 125 years of Shree Aatma Siddhi Shashtra. This once-in-a-lifetime event is invaluable for all of us in this life. This exam is an open book exam as a “devotion-religious” study, irrespective of caste, creed, religion, or place. The idea is to let this event inspire the maximum number of spiritually inclined aspirants to turn inward. We encourage everyone to take this exam.

Please find more information, rules of the competition, question paper, and answer sheet.

1. Find more information on Pratiyogita here in English and in Gujarati.
2. Pratiyogita Questions - in English and in Gujarati.
3. Pratiyogita Answersheet - in English and in Gujarati.

When your existence becomes full of love, there comes immense contentment and sensitivity. In pure love, there is contentment due to inner bliss, and with contentment, sensitivity towards others' joys and sorrows increases, similarly, such a state of tenderness arises. Where there is omniscience and dispassion, there is the absolute state of tenderness. Due to absolute sensitivity, there is an instruction of practicing a subtle type of non-violence in the dharma of the Omniscient Lord. Wherever we see someone, we should not become a cause for his sorrow and become a cause for his joy.

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The Jain tattvas, or principles, are the single most important subject of Jain philosophy. It deals with the karma theory of Jainism, which provides the basis for the path of liberation. Jain literature explains nine or seven fundamental tattvas. Without the proper knowledge of this subject, a person cannot progress spiritually. The proper understanding of this subject brings about the right faith (samyak-darshana), right knowledge (samyak-jnana), and right conduct (samyak charitra) to an individual.

Nine Tattvas (Principles)

1. Jiva - Soul or living being (Consciousness)
2. Ajiva - Non-living substances
3. Asrava - Cause of the influx of karma
4. Bandha - Bondage of karma
5. Punya* - Virtue
6. Papa* - Sin
7. Samvara - Stoppage or arrest of the influx of karma
8. Nirjara - Exhaustion of the accumulated karma
9. Moksha - Total liberation from karma

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Jain Study Center of North Carolina

Over the last few years, the Research Triangle region in North Carolina has attracted many new families to move in. Moderate weather, affordable cost of living, ample work opportunities, and access to many great universities. The list goes on! COVID has also presented many opportunities to completely reinvent community engagement models.

The Jain Study Center of North Carolina is conducting a survey that is scientifically designed by local youth to understand the needs of the center members as a sadharmik Jains who lives and/or raises a family in the triangle area. The Center will share anonymized survey results with the community.

Jain Center Of Greater Phoenix

On April 4, 2021, the Jain Center of Greater Phoenix witnessed another milestone in the temple’s history. JCGP had Bhoomi Suddhi Pujan of their new Pathshala building - Shri Atmasiddhi Bhavan. The event started on Good Friday evening, April 2, 2021, where Gurudev Shri Rakeshbhai sanctified the pious soil from Nadiad which will be brought back to Phoenix and laid in the foundation. Later, Gurudevshri virtually consecrated the first brick signifying a pious start to Sunday’s ceremony. He also explained the five points for the ENTRY to moksha and the importance of TEAM where there is no room for ‘I’.

On Sunday, JCGP members experienced the grand Shobha Yatra, mesmerizing performances by all age groups, and witnessed the much-awaited brick layering ceremony for the new Pathshala building. All the arrangements were made in advance. With over a year since the last in-person event open to all members was celebrated at JCGP, even with the masks on they could see smiles and laughter through the beautiful eyes of all members. JCGP is grateful to everyone who made the event successful through their selfless Seva and attendance.

The mind is our most powerful tool above and beyond the 5 senses. This video talks about the power of the mind through 5 metaphors.