Acharya Tulsi
There are certain values that connect a person with another person, a society with another society, a nation with another nation and a culture with another culture. Among these values one is spiritualism. Spiritualism has no name or form. In spite of having no name and form its power has got no limit. A single ray of spirituality is enough to dispel the darkness caused by hatred and enmity but even to get that ray one has to go for penance.
India’s popularity is due to her spiritual treasures. The hard-core competition in the material world jeopardies our very existence. A non-material nation can only exist when it is rich in insight. At the stratum of matter a nation in spite of being bound by material accumulation, when it follows the values of spiritualism, its glory never fades. Japan and Taiwan are the two developed nations. The cause behind their development is hard toil and patriotism. Who had ever imagined that a nation that got dilapidated during the Second World War would touch the summit of development? A small nation Taiwan is setting an example before bigger and developed nations for its economic prosperity. A reaction of economic prosperity is indulgence. Due to hedonistic traits the laziness and cruelty that lurk, is not merely detrimental for a person but equally harmful for the society and the nation. A place where such traits prevail development of spirituality is a far cry; even the feeling of responsibility of man gets dulled. In the year 1988, in the month of December, a new history was born in the campus of ‘Jaina Biswa Bhaiati’. From 5th to 6th December, representatives from thirty five nations were present and had been staying. A discussion went on regarding world peace and non-violence at length. War, violence and the effect of increasing usage of arms were thought of dissuading and for that generation of non-violent power and its implementation were discussed. A few decisions were also taken in that direction. Before the warmth and surging enthusiasm would fade away of this international seminar, a group of forty five people had arrived from Japan and Taiwan. Last year also a group had come from Japan. Due to language problem we could not have a direct conversation with them but still whatever little knowledge they could gain in such a short span of their journey, understand and learn that shows their receptivity.
When they greet people with a simplicity and smile on their face it reflects their humility. They are so full of positive energy that they move swiftly while walking. When they pass from someone’s vicinity they shrink their body in a manner so that it doesn’t create any barrier on his way of movement. When they spread the wings of inquisitiveness, it seems, as it were, they are ready to internalize all the esoteric knowledge. Their great interest is on spirituality. When they were asked if they had any inconvenience while living in a small town like Ladnu, they said, ‘The knowledge that we have found here in comparison so that there is no inconvenience that one cannot bear. We get all sorts of facilities in our nation, but we are deprived of such a nice spiritual environment and knowledge. Whatever we had learned from you has become a treasure in our life.’
Jainism has an appeal for the Japanese people. They chant the ‘Namokar Mantra’ with such intensity and purity that the listeners become mesmerized. Seeing the austerities and lifestyle of Jaina monks they were surprised. Many of them are trainees of Yoga, they are also well adept in treating patients by means of Yoga. They take great interest in meditation. They had come to take lessons on ‘Prekshadhyan’.
In the five days programme held at ‘Jain Biswa Bharati’ they utilized each and every moment. To consolidate their faith over meditation they got themselves initiated into ‘Prekshadhyan’. Shortly alter their initiation their cult named ‘Preksha Sangha’ was established and they came to be known as ‘Prekshadhyani’. In the context of meditation keeping the purity of action in mind they were made to take five vows regarding Prekshadhyan—(i) Non-violence, (ii) to seek one in many, (iii) controlling desires, (iv) proper diet and (v) Prekshadhyan. After accepting these virtues they got over the attacking tendency of violence, they took the vow of getting over thoughts and reduce the expansion of never ending desires. They took the vow of taking vegetarian food once in a week and developed a feeling of practicing Prekshadhyan at least for half an hour a day.
Japan, Taiwan and India— the cultural integration of all these three nations is an experience in itself. It has opened the gate of exchanging cultural values, has established the expansion of human relations, has provided the opportunity of knowing one-another and has given an opportunity to touch new dimension of spirituality. This endeavour must go ahead in an organized way and the spiritual essence of India must spread among people thus creating an environment conductive to it is what is desirable.
