Editor Aparigraha Jain
Editor Carla Geerdes
Samani Charitra Pragyaji actually is in Kolkata for some days. Inspired by Kolkata HereNow4U correspondent Sushil Bafana, we used the opportunity to put three questions to her, and Sushil Kumar Bafana asked for her view on three points. Samani Charitra Pragyaji responded immediately, and we happily present the result. Samani Charitra Pragyaji is well known to us, as in 2001, on her way to celebrate Paryushan in London, she stopped over with Samani Amit Pragyaji in Berlin. We were happy to receive Samanijis in our house; we hosted them together with Amit Ranka originating from Gangashahar, Rajasthan, who is a successful executive company director in Berlin. Samani Charitra Pragyaji conducted a Preksha Meditation session and introduced Jainism. We still remember how excited we were when Samanijis entered our house. Thoughts like ‘Will Samanijis like the food, will they feelcomfortable here’ moved our minds. As we had learned, it was their first trip to Germany, and Samani Amit Pragyaji’s first trip out of India. All these worries were groundless when Samanijis arrived. They were so kind and so relaxed, and interacted cheerfully with everyone, they met. For Karuna it was the first time she prepared meals for Jain nuns; inspired and guided by Amit Ranka she tried her best and was more than happy when Samanijis not only accepted, but also appreciated her efforts. We noticed that Samani Charitra Pragyaji immediately was able to make one feel a friend, being familiar to her since quite some time. Her attitude deeply impressed all people she met, and we asked her from where she receives her strength. She answered that H.H. Acharyashree’s teachings provided the insight to her that everyone is her friend, nobody her foe, and that the enemies one has to fight against are inside, as for outside conflicts solutions can be found if we makeproper use of our intelligence. Second time we met Samani Charitra Pragyaji in 2005 at the occasion of third IPMC in Ladnun, where she gave a series of skilful PowerPoint presentations on Preksha Meditation. The question moving us since our last India trip was meaning and sense of Samyaktva Diksha, we therefore asked her on this behalf.
Explain the meaning and sense of Samyaktva Diksha.
It is like to baptize someone. It means that the person dedicate to religion propounded by Tirthankaras, accept the Guru as his spiritual guide and considers Vitraga that is all enlightened/ Tirthankaras as his/ her spiritual God who illuminates the path of Moksha.
It is a form of formal initiation in the path of religion and develops faith and belief.
Which age you consult people to take it and why?
Normally they accept at the age of 5 who can understand and start practicing it. The importance of this is that they do chanting of namaskar mantra everyday and have the belief that now they are Jain and should follow as way of life like veggy food etc.
What does Samyaktva Diksha mean for daily life of those who have done it in?
There are few resolutions they take. Among them are - I will not kill any innocent being, I will not commit suicide, do daily prayer, I will not cut down big trees, try to do fast during Samvatsari day and spend 20-30 min everyday for spiritual practice. Those who are elder enough try to follow all these with deep faith and it is also welfare of humanity.
Sushil Kumar Bafana had the following questions:
Share some of your experience as prof. at Miami FIU.
It was a delighted experience to share the message of Jainism and Nonviolence to western students who had no idea of this rich heritage and had many misconceptions about it. The students & profs well received it with openness of their heart and mind.
They demanded to continue this course in future and we will teach in the academic year of 2007- 08. I will send you the feedback of the students and the details of it.
You work in tiny villages with no modern facilities and also visit many countries of the world as Sadhak. How do you see the difference?
Everything depends upon the discipline of mind. If our mind is trained enough, it does not feel down during absence of modernity and inflate while having those comforts. Even we do not use all those luxuries for fun. We use whatever is needed and required for communication and to propagate the message. We would love to live in villages where you can find peace, purity of heart and live with nature.
What should be the ultimate goal of human being?
According to my opinion, I would say that everybody wants peace & happiness. That can be achieved only by spirituality. Reducing the attachment & hatred, love & compassion for, all miseries and sufferings can be eliminated. Breaking the cycle of birth & death, eternal bliss and inner peace will be attained and that is the ultimate goal.