
JAINA Newsletter:Jain Center News, Palitana, the World’s First Vegetarian City,Jainism Says,etc...
Share |

Dear Sadharmik brothers and sisters,
Pranam & Jai Jinendra!

All Jain Centers must have celebrated Paryushan Parva and Das Lakshan Parva with a lot of purity. JAINA had tried a small endeavor to send a newsletter on a daily basis during the Parva and I believe you must have enjoyed reading it.

Anumodna to all who could do Tapasya. JAINA will soon recognize the Tapasvis at and in the newsletter.

Read how Jain Center of Cincinnati Dayton celebrated Paryushan 2019.

It is a proud moment for all Jains that Palitana, a city in Gujarat, is announced as the world’s first Vegetarian City. Read more about it below.

Mahesh Wadher
JAINA President

Jain Center of Cincinnati Dayton celebrated Paryushan 2019 with great enthusiasm! They enjoyed daily two pravachans from the two great scholars, Uday Sagar ji and Sulekh Jain ji, Bavanas, Youth lectures, Puja, daily Navkarsi, Choviyar, and Pratikraman.

JCCD also celebrated Mahavir Janma Kalyank during which time they received the highest amount of donations in their Paryushan history

The center had question-answer sessions for youths on September 4th and for adults on September 5th. Both the sessions were successful. Lastly, they announced anumodna to Tapasvis and did Navkar Jaap.

Palitana, in Gujarat, India, has been dubbed as the World's first 'Vegetarian City'. The city is now counted among the purest and most revered destinations for Jains. In fact, it is absolutely illegal to kill animals for consuming and sell eggs or meat.

Back in the year 2014, the government had put a ban on the animal slaughter in the region and since then, not a single animal has been killed here. The ban was implemented when around 200 Jain monks protested by going on a hunger strike to show the government that they'd prefer to die than letting animal slaughter and consumption allowed in the area.

The monks demanded to get all the 250 butcher shops to be shut down and the state government agreed to do so. Thus, the city was declared a meat-free zone.

The theory of karma is one of the peculiar characteristics of Jainism, which is elaborately discussed. It is nothing but the the law of moral causation. Nothing happens without a cause. Each individual is responsible for his or her own actions. These actions are the cause that produces results. This is the eternal and universal law of Karmas. Other systems also believe in the theory of Karma. According to the theory of Karma, man is dependent upon only himself. He does not depend on the supremacy of God. It is against Akriyavada. It is against Fatalism. There is a glorification of freedom of the individual. ‘Purusharth’. A person should make good use of the knowledge of the law that good actions generate good fruits and bad actions generate bad fruits. Then, he will hesitate to perform bad actions and feel elated to perform only good actions. At times, under certain circumstances, for maintaining of life or livelihood, we are constrained to disregard the law of Karma and forced to perform evil actions against our will. In such cases too we do bind Karmas. But the duration of such Karma may be short, and the intensity may be less intense.

The doctrine of Karma occupies a more significant position in Jain Philosophy as compared to another system of philosophy. The supreme importance of the doctrine of Karma lies in providing a rational and satisfactory explanation to the apparently inexplicable phenomena of birth and death, happiness and misery, inequalities in mental and physical attainments and the existence of different species of living beings. Every Jiva or soul is possessed of ‘consciousness’ and of ‘Upayoga’ comprising the power of perception and knowledge; it is the doer of all actions; it has the capacity to occupy the full dimensions of the body which embodied it; it is the enjoyer of the fruits; it has the inherent tendency to move upwards and is a Siddha or liberated in its stage of perfections. However, the soul finds itself tangled in ‘sansar’ the cycle of transmigration, suffering, birth, and death, happiness and misery.

The doctrine of Karma explains the operation of Karmic matter, which draws a veil over the natural qualities of the soul, crippling its powers. The soul is found entangled with Karma since eternity. It is the primary function of religion to stop the influx of Karma and mitigate the presence of Karma with the soul and thereby show the path of liberation and methods through which the soul could achieve perfections.


- Bhagwan Mahavir

Question: Is it okay to drink alcohol according to Jainism? What is Jainism’s guidance on occasional, social drinking or once in a year?

Answer: Youth and Parents frequently ask this question. Drinking of all forms (occasional, social, at parties, happy hours) are widely proliferating among Jain youths and adults in the Western world in many places. The intent of providing information here is to empower individuals to make their own decisions and be able to defend their decision. Once we have the information and clarity behind guidance provided by the religion then we can use our own wisdom to make the decisions that are right for us.

Bottom Line Up Front: Jainism Principle/Outlook on Alcohol Consumption

According to Jainism, alcohol consumption of any kind is not allowed. Jainism has never allowed any exceptions either, like allowing occasional or social drinking. This kind of position has protected the Jain societies (to a certain extent) from the negative implications that have resulted and/or can result from alcohol consumption. Now let’s explore the reasons/logic behind this position.


With the impending school week or other obligations, Sunday nights can be a lot to deal with! With each coming week, we only get busier, and we often don’t take time to recognize how we’re feeling.

There is nothing wrong with asking for help! If you would like YJP help to combat the “Sunday Scaries,” sign up for our YJP Listening Sessions. You will be able to chat on the phone, free of judgment, with a YJP Board Member! Break the silence. Tell them what’s on your mind, the YJP Board is here to listen and be supportive.

Also, YJP is excited to meet you at the 3rd Annual YJP National Conference, on October 18 - 20 at Hyatt Rosemont. During this conference, YJP will emphasize on group collaboration and interactive sessions.
Follow Us On

facebook link twitter link Instagram link Youtube link

Mail your Donations in favor of JAINA to : Ashok Savla (JAINA Treasurer), 8843 1/2 Longden Avenue, Temple City, CA 91780
