Shree Jain Shvetamber Derawasi Sangh

Mombasa

Essay Competition Winners Pranam Bhaviko

We are pleased to announce the results of the Essay Competition— please see Page 2. We would like to wish Khub Khub Anumodna to all the winners.

A total of 93 entries were received from Mombasa, Nairobi, Thika, Meru, Dar es Saalam and Arusha. We would like to thank all those who took time to write the essays, it is not a small feat to sit down and write like this, nowadays. We tried to give topics that encouraged original thought, and not make it easy to copy and paste from the internet. You can judge that for yourselves now, from the winning entries.

As there was no limit to how many entries an individual can submit, we did receive multiple entries on different topics from some contestants, and we really do appreciate their passion for Jain issues.

In this small effort we have tried to bring East African Jains closer and more aware of what is going on around us. We do hope and pray that the same spirit is maintained and carried on by all Jain sanghs, and that we may share more going forward.

We also appreciate the time and effort taken by the teams of judges for marking the 93 entries.

Binaben Shah and Mayuriben Kaushik Shah were the judges for the under 10 years, under 12 years and under 17 years categories.

The rest of the categories ie under 25 years - Youth, Adults - English, Adults - Gujarati and Children - Gujarati were

judged by the Education Team of Institute of Jainology, London. The team members are Shrutiben Malde,

Vibhutiben Mehta, and Jyotsnaben Shamji. They were ably guided by Dr Harshadray Sanghrajka.

The comments from the judges are :

“Heartiest congratulations for encouraging the community to study and research Jainism; keep up your efforts.”

“Just to say that it has been a great pleasure to read good quality essays, and the effort and enthusiasm from the participants is truly commendable. The result of pathshala teaching is reflected in the quality of the essays.”

“the team are very impressed with the enthusiasm of the participants and the excellent quality of the essays.”

The essays can be accessed through the following links :

Under 10 years : https://doc.co/Y3uhSR

Under 12 years : https://doc.co/ugKHQg

Under 17 years : https://doc.co/ip4vXw

Under 25 years Youth : https://doc.co/jbPsDC

Adults : https://doc.co/KG3U39

Gujarati - Adults & Children : https://doc.co/56pftN

Please write your comments on comments section of the above links and circulate the above links to your friends and family for wider readership.

Hon Secretary

Mrs Illaben Ravi Khimasia

Shree Jain Svetamber Derawasi Sangh

Essay Competition Winners

Essay Title Position Refer-

ence

Page Name Town

Under 10 years

How I practice Ahimsa 1st A1-018 3 Siana Bhagesh Chandaria Nairobi

How to play Sports the Jain way 2nd A1-002 4 Neeshi Rakesh Shavdia Mombasa

I love Pathshala………. 3rd A1-032 5 Rohan Neel Shah Nairobi

I love Pathshala………. Jury A1-045 6 Ziya Chirag Shah Thika

Under 12 years

It is cool to be Vegetarian! 1st A2-055 7 Darsh Shital Haria Nairobi

Practising Jainism leads to Protecting the environment? 2nd A2-022 8,9 Vatsal Anish Shah Mombasa

It is cool to be Vegetarian! 3rd A2-040 10,11 Harshil Manish Shah Mombasa

Practising Jainism leads to Protecting the environment? Jury A2-001 12 Kreeshi Rakesh Shavdia Mombasa

Under 17 years

Why does Jainism fascinate me? 1st A3-063 13,14 Rushabh Sailendra Shah Nairobi

My take on practicing compassion 2nd A3-056 15,16 Dhruti S Shah Nairobi

Why does Jainism fascinate me? 3rd A3-050 17,18 Darshil Ketan Gudkha Nairobi

My take on practicing compassion Jury A3-086 19,20,21 Twinkle Rajesh Pethad Meru

Under 25 years— Youth

Does Jain Dharma practise limit career choices ? 1st A4-059 22 Avi Nitin Haria Nairobi

Over 25 years—Adults

Who is in control—my Karma or I? 1st A5-062 23,24 Kalpuben Sailendra Shah Nairobi

My understanding of Mithyatva 2nd A5-007 25,26 Kalpuben Sailendra Shah Nairobi

East African business practices and Jain ethics – can

they reconcile?

3rd Joint A5-069 27,28 Pratikshaben Mahendrakumar Dhanani Mombasa

Who is in control—my Karma or I? 3rd Joint A5-031 29,30 Pritiben Kalpesh Shah Thika

Who is in control—my Karma or I? Jury A5-061 31,32 Hiten Mulchand Shah Nairobi

Gujarati—Adults

Jain sangh ne aagal vadhaarvaa no marg 1st A6-075 33,34,35 Harshaben Nilesh Shah Nairobi

Mithyatvi maate ni maari samajana 2nd A6-064 36,37,38 Chandrikaben Mahesh Shah Nairobi

Aadhunik yug maa Jain dharma ni jaruriyaat 3rd A6-091 39, 40,41 Diptiben Haria Nairobi

Dharmik kriya ane aadhyatmiktaa: santulan Jury

Joint

A6-015 42,43,44 Elaben Kaushik Shah Nairobi

Kon niyaamak athavaa sarvopari chhe? Jury

Joint

A6-038 45,46,47 Dinuben Kanti Vora Mombasa

Gujarati—Children

Aadhunik yug maa Jain dharma ni jaruriyaat 1st A6-068 48,49 Dhir Bhupendra Bid Nairobi

Aadhunik yug maa Jain dharma ni jaruriyaat 2nd A6-087 50,51,52 Twinkle Rajesh Pethad Meru

Aadhunik yug maa Jain dharma ni jaruriyaat 3rd A6-030 53,54 Ridhi Deepak Gada Nairobi

Aadhunik yug maa Jain dharma ni jaruriyaat Jury A6-033 55,56 Darshil Ketan Gudhka Nairobi

1st

Under 10

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Under 10

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Under 10

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I love pathshala… I love pathshala because we do many activities, learn and discover about God in our religion. We learnt the colours of the flag.We also learnt about different festivals in Jainism e.g paryushan, diwali and many more which I didn’t know before I joined pathshala. In pathshala we learn about what to eat as Jains. I learnt not to kill any living thing because they are like us and how would you feel if you get killed or cut? It is not good to eat meat since it comes from animals and birds.And if non-veg people continue eating animal meat the animals might be extinct. It is not good to step on grass at night or you will get bad karmas since there are many insects and living things which will die or get homeless. I also learnt about being kind, helpful, sharing things and respecting our elders. We must not hurt anyone’s feelings and we should not get angry. We should not say lies or steal anything. I love pathshala because we always recite the navkar mantra and we get lovely prabhavna after every class.

REFERENCE A1 – 045

Jury

Under 10

Years

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REFERENCE A2 – 055

IT IS COOL TO BE VEGETARIAN

Mother nature sprinkles throughout the earth with food so that all animals have all they need to grow

into powerful healthy beings who can reproduce and ensure survival. So what right do we have to eat non

vegetarian products! Vegetarianism is just exercising basic decency in how we treat other animals.

A vegetarian does not eat meat, fish and egg based products. Vegetarianism is not just what is on your

plate, but a holistic lifestyle. Ideally they do not ever use or wear products made from animals e.g. leather,

silk, fur e.t.c.

It also includes products that are not animal tested or contain animal ingredients like cosmetics and

toiletries. Trading in hides, horns, ivory, silk, bones and other animal products is considered non

vegetarianism. If the world did not purchase and consume animal products, no one would slaughter and

offer animal products for sale. I am a Jain and a proud vegetarian. In Jainism, we believe non violence is

the most essential religious duty for everyone (ahimsa parmo dharmah) and harmonious co-existence

between all creatures on the planet. Non violence is the basis of vegetarianism. All life is precious and we

should respect all forms of life. Eating plant based food brings compassion, healing and harmony within

ourselves.

A man’s anatomy and physiological system are adapted for a vegetarian diet .Vegetarians are much

healthier, they live about 7 years longer than meat eaters. Vegetarian diet reduces risk of chronic diseases

like obesity, coronary artery diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer and osteoporosis. It also digests

quite easily while a meat diet sits in the stomach for hours and decomposes in transit. It also has an impact

on one’s nature they are never aggressive, angry or depresses. It is also economical because you spend less

on healthcare. The cost of vegetarian diet is cheaper than meat. Do not let your body be a graveyard.

Vegetarianism saves the environment by conserving water, fuel, forest and other resources. Fifteen times

more water is needed to produce animal protein than plant protein. 78 Calories of fossil fuel are required to

produce one calorie of beef while only one calorie fuel is used for every calorie of soybean production.

Seventy two per cent of grains are used to feed farm animals for meat. If we all ate these grains instead,

there would be no famine. Forests are our filter, air supply and sources of new medicines. These are being

cut down for livestock farming. Animals and Meat eating are the largest contributors of global warming.

Farm animals are treated with cruelty. They get very little grazing area, they are kept alive with

hormones, tranquilizers, and antibiotics which stay in their flesh which you eat. Animals are a host to a lot

of bacteria and parasites which may cause food poisoning if not cooked well.

The world’s largest and strongest animals live on a plant based diet like the elephant, buffalo, cows and

horses.

Lord Mahavir said that the food we eat affects one physically, emotionally, psychologically and

spiritually. We are what we eat. Vegetarianism is a spiritual perfume you spray and everything and

everyone around you will benefit from it.

I hope after reading the above you will truly see vegetarians are indeed “cool”.

1st

Under 12

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REFERENCE – A2 001 Practising Jainism leads to protecting the environment?

Have you ever walked through Karura forest? Gushing, gurgling, bubbling rivers weave through coarse barked trees and bushes and it feels as cool as a cucumber. Forests cover approximately thirty one percent of the earth’s surface. This is the perfect, serene environment where any of the Thirthankars could have lived. The Thirthankars laid down good principles on how humans could live in harmony with the environment. A simple good daily principle was not to wash dirty clothes near rivers. The reasoning behind this was that, dirt from these clothes would pollute the river and thus cause harm to fishes living in these rivers. Another good principle was not to waste water, food or fuel. Wooden bowls were used for many purposes and thus recycling was also practiced. This was to make people conscious of their impact on earth and its limited resources. The population of humans is and continues to increase at an alarming rate. As a result, forests are being cleared for land to live on and charcoal for cheap fuel. Another example of fossil fuel is oil and its by-products e.g. petrol, diesel and gas. International corporations intent on maximizing profits use cheap fossil fuel. The burning of fossil fuel is the leading source of greenhouse gases and global warming. As a result, earth is getting hotter by the minute and its natural resources are diminishing. By practicing Aparigraha, a willingness to take a dip in wealth, these corporations could turn to renewable energy being solar panels, Wind turbines and hydro-electricity. This is turn would make others practice Ahimsa, by not cutting trees, and Asteya, not stealing from nature. Earth is a home to a vast variety of plants, animals, fungi and microrganisms, known as biodiversity. If any species of plant, animal or microrganisms becomes extinct there will be an imbalance in the ecosystem. An example is the relationship between the Kenyan elephant, thorny acacia trees and ants. When the acacia leaves are devoured by herbivores, like the elephant, then the tree produces a sweet sticky sap under the thorns to attract ants. These ants make a home in these trees and also protect the tree from wood eating beetles. When Kenyan elephants are poached for their ivory tusks, this also leads to death of acacia trees and ants. Ivory is made into ornaments for women. If these women practiced Aparigraha, and diminished their desire for such ornaments, then the poacher would not have a ready market for ivory. In turn, the poacher would practice Ahimsa, non- violence, by not killing elephants and thus elephants, acacia trees and ants would continue to thrive. Persons, intent on conservation, practice Satya, by upholding the truth about nature. One such person was Wangari Maathia and by supporting her pledge of planting two trees for every tree cut we can make earth a better place to live in. A quote from her is: "The sky is held up by the trees. If the forest disappears, the sky-roof of the world will collapse. Nature and man will perish together." Is this what the Thirthankars would have approved of?

Jury

Under 12

Years

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Under 17

Years

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Under 17

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Under 12

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Under 17

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REFERENCE A4 – 059

Does Jain dharma practise limit career choices?

These days all professions incur all sorts of theft and injustice. The following are examples:

Being a lawyer in the 21st century and to be well recognised will definitely mean having a great win to loose ratio. This will mean that this lawyer will try to do anything to win the case, which to him does not affect the factor that he is taking a bribe or being violent or forging the evidence or even turning down a correct person at the last moment to make the rich guy the winner. So in or-der to practise Jainism with this profession will lead this lawyer to follow the path of non-violence and always support the right choice. This will make him loose many cases and may also loose his reputation as people will know this guy will say the truth but may end up loosing the case. People look for lawyers with a greater win to loose ratio and may affect this choice of profession.

Another profession which may be affected by Jainism practise would be joining the army. This profession includes a lot of violence and causing harm to many lives and may also end up taking a life of a person which is the biggest sin in Jainism. This would restrict one to be an officer in the army or even in the police force. In the police force another factor would be the fact that most of them are ruled by rich people hence corruption and this would force the officer to be corrupt and not to follow one of the laws of Jainism which includes truth.

Another profession is being a cook or working in a big restaurant which serves all food and drinks. Jains are restricted to consume alcohol, underground food as well as non-veg as all these have a lot of non-violence. For example making chicken tandoori will cause a jiv to be killed which in this case is a chicken which is hinsa. So if one wants to be a cook or a waiter him or her will either have to cook the same food and will take the paap as he is also a part of the hinsa together with the one killing and who is going to consume the food. Also being a waiter would be restricted as serving the non-veg to someone is like inviting the person to eat non-veg as well as serving alcohol

Also jains cannot work in places where leather is being processed that is its tanneries as well as in places where they sell silk sarees. This is because the same leather comes from snake’s skin or from an animal. This means causing pain and harm to the snake and promoting the use of leather or silk means you are promoting the killing of snake or an animal. This means jains should not take part in such act or professions which include such sinful acts.

As the above acts lead to sinful activities i would recommend jains not to take the above profes-sions. But there are so many professions which a jain can get into for example be a truthful busi-ness man and not to cheat any customers, this will make his customers feel more valued and will attract more consumers and help him grow his business.

Also a jain can be an accountant and provide correct figure for taxes and show the correct profit for the year end and will help both the country as well as the firm itself as they can see how they are progressing and the government will develop the country through the tax paid.

Jains can also take up roles of politicians, as they can give truthful and worn for the citizens of the country. This will mean they are doing all for the country rather than for their own benefit. This will improve the way money and fund is used in the country hence will improve the countries growth and also the standards of living of the people.

Here i conclude by saying that despite practising Jainism can restrict some professions but there are the professions which can be fulfilled in the Jain way.

Thank you and Jai Jinendra

1st

Under 25 Years

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REFERENCE A5 – 062

6. Who is in control - my Karma or I?

“Karma” is one of the most fashionable words of modern times. Karma, when translated from its origins in Sanskrit simply means "action". The popularity graph of the word karma has been steadily showing an upward incidence. Anciently, karma was related to religion, and every religion had its own connotation of the word. Of late, though, every individual seems to have a different facet of karma in their understanding. Prevailing discernment of the word karma is: deeds; fruition or causation of deeds; impetus to the cycle of birth and death or simply a blame sponge for all intriguing phenomenon. According to Jainism, karma is pudgal or subtle physical matter that is omnipresent in the occupied section of the universe and bonds to a soul as a result of activities of the mind, body or speech. Then how can mere matter be in control over "an all powerful soul”, "me"? The Bible says, "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap". Other doctrines propose karma as a “what goes round comes round phenomenon”. Hinduism believes that karma operates in a simple straight line, with actions from the past influencing the present, and present actions influencing the future. Jainism, on the other hand propounds karma as a complex self governing system of operation that is true for all non liberated souls. To establish the ascendancy of the “I” or soul over karma, a basic understanding of the theory of Karma is imperative. Physicists today have discovered that atoms do not represent the smallest unit of matter. Particles called Quarks and Leptons seem to be the fundamental building blocks and perhaps there is a whole new class of particles in the subatomic family yet to be discovered. What modern science is yet to discover, Jain cannons have affirmed aeons ago: the existence of super subtle particles in the cosmic space called Varganas. Karman Vargana is one of the eight types of Varganas. Two of the nine main governing principles propounded by Jainism are, Jiv which is the soul, also called Chetan and Ajiv which is all non living matter or Jaad. Only a reaction from a soul or Jiv, can trigger movement in the otherwise quiescent existence of the karma particles. The interaction of the two produces Punya, auspicious karma or Paap the inauspicious karma. The association of the worldly soul and karma is beginning less and self governing. Influx of karma is due to five reasons: Mithyatva or fallacious belief; Avirati meaning vowlessness or lack of restrain; Pramad or carelessness and un-mindfulness; Kashays meaning passions like anger, ego, greed and deceit and finally Yog or activities of the mind body and speech. The karma particles bond with the soul differently due to the governing factors of intensity, duration, quality and quantity. Clusters of such particles build up a special body called karman sarir or karmic body, which is ever changing yet does not relinquish the soul until its final liberation. Karma, are broadly classified into eight types according to their cause of bondage. Four of which are non destructive or Agathi Karma and four are capable of distorting and temporarily annihilating the true nature of the soul, they are the Gathi Karmas. Out of the four Gathi karmas, Mohaniya karma acts like the devil's advocate and hence is the most detrimental. Moha meaning attachment is the root cause of generating a whirlpool of action and reaction, leading the soul to vortex into the ocean of Samsar or the vicious circle of birth and death. Mohaniya Karma is the submerged part, with the other Karmas forming the obvious and visible tip of the karmic ice berg. Karmas can follow any one of four states of existence, once it is allowed to enter: Satta, is the dormant state of past karma accumulated and attached to the soul; Bandha is the attachment and accumulation of new karma which will bear fruit in future; Udaya is the state of fruit bearing, hence active karma; Udirana state is premature arising or arousal of karma due the conscious effort of a soul. If Ashrav and Bandh are inflow and fixation of karma to the soul, then Samvar and Nirjara are the stoppage and shedding of karma in that order. As the proverb states, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”, so is the case with karma, as accumulated karma, tend to generate magnetism towards new karman particles. Samvar relates to prevention and Nirjara would be the cure. Samvar is blocking off new entrants and is possible through six major modes of conduct which are further subdivided into fifty seven possible ways. Nirjara is shedding or expulsion of karmic matter attached to the soul. Nirjara can be of two types: passive or Akam, which is exhaustion of karma through its natural course; and active or Sakam, which is consciously ridding of karma through the practice of six external and six internal austerities.

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The Sarvarthasiddhi Sasthra says "Sadvedya-śubhāyur-nāma-gotrāņi puņyam" meaning pleasure, auspicious life

span, auspicious body and auspicious status are result of punya or beneficial karmic bondage. A human body is one

of the four Gatis or forms of existence which a transmigratory soul occupies by virtue of past punya. Only a soul in

this gathi or form of body is fully capable of preventing and curing itself from, and of, further accumulation of

karma. Samyaktva is attainable in all four Gatis, yet only a Sangni panchendria or human body is capable of using

logic, restraining needs and actions and performing austerities which are mandatory of the six processes of Samvar

and further twelve of Nirjara. I am a soul in an auspicious human body, which is entirely capable of understanding

and annihilating my baggage of Karma.

Jain scriptures lay out a detailed map of the journey of disencumbering the soul of all its Karma and attaining

Moksh. Reading and deciphering that map, and freeing our soul are entirely our aspiration. It is very easy to allow

Karma to take over and adopt an escapist approach to life. A birth in a human form, a Jain family, and a conducive

environment of religious teachings in the contemporary world is the perfect formula of stopping the influx of

negative Karma, reducing bonded Karma and earning Punya by adopting the five major vows which are

Nonviolence (Ahimsa); Truthfulness (Satya); Non-stealing (Asetya); Chastity (Brahmacharya)

and non possession ( Aprigrah). The true nature of a soul is infinite knowledge, Infinite perception, infinite power,

infinite energy and Infinite bliss. It is karma that covers the soul and thus limits its attributes. Once a person gains

the knowledge of the self and understands that, beyond the body, "I" am the all powerful soul, which once rid of all

karma is a suddh (pure) atama, that has the potential of becoming the pristine Parmatma, then the manacles of

karma are crushed and obliterated. Hence it is entirely "my" prerogative to permit karma to rule the roost, or to

crack the whip on them and bring them to heel.

A liberated soul is devoid of all karmic attachments, which is proof enough that the controller is the soul and not

the karma. I am the doer and hence the puppeteer, to whose manipulation, karma, the puppets of life have to

perform. Karma plays a humongous role in the journey of the soul, yet with immense effort in the three jewelled

approach of Right knowledge, Right perception and Right conduct to salvation, an absolute control over karma can

be achieved and eventually it can be shed entirely.

Jai Jinendra!

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