Editor Carla Geerdes
Who would have thought to Jainism when talking about the famous Côte d'Azur in the South of France? We don't know. It was our common interest with Pierre Paul Amiel on Jain Dharma that brought us in contact. Since two years we are exchanging mails and greetings. At the end of May we met him personally in Nice and here is one of the very interesting books he has written on the Jains today in the world.
View on surrounding hills from Pierre Paul Amiel's terrace
All of us felt happy for the opportunity. Pierre received us in his beautiful apartment situated on the rooftops of the city, with nice view on the hillsides nearly on eye height with the seventh floor where our friend resides in a pleasant joggers’ distance from the Mediterranean Sea. Since some months our visit was planned for the weekend of Pentecost, which in Germany and France includes the Monday as holiday.
Pierre Paul Amiel, Nice, France
Pierre and Nice received us in the best of their conditions, with big smile and sun.
Since twenty years Pierre Paul Amiel is interested in Jainism and studies it deeply. At the age of 22 he became a practitioner of Yoga. It was his Yoga teacher, a Brahmin who first spoke to him of an Indian philosophy and religion called Jainism, teaching non-violence and tolerance. In the course of his professional years in leading positions in French public administration he did not forget his interest in Jainism, and after his retirement in 1992 he wrote to the then secretary general of Ahimsa Voice, Shri Satish Kumar Jain in New Delhi. The first contact between both was established, followed by sending books and journals, resulting in a relation as Guru and student. Shri Satish Kumar untiringly responded to Pierre Paul Amiel’s queries sharing his vast knowledge on Jainism with him.
In 1993 Pierre Paul Amiel was invited to attend the 7th JAINA convention in Pittsburgh (USA) and was overwhelmed by the warm welcome he and his late wife experienced there. His decision to make Jainism better known in France resulted from what he had experienced and learned at the convention. He won many friends at this occasion, and these relations are persisting. Shri Satish Kumar Jain, Dr. Sulekh Chand Jain, Shri Bhuvanendra Kumar, and many others gave lots of inspiration to him. Back in France, Pierre Paul Amiel got into contact with prof. Colette Caillat and her successor prof. Nalini Balbir who gave academic guidance to him.
Pierre Paul Amiel started to translate Jain texts from English to French language, and in 1998 his first translation in book form was delivered. It was a French translation of the book “Lord Mahavira. A Study In Historical Perspective”, edited by Dr. Sagarmal Jain, and written by Dr. Bod Chand. The second book he translated was published one year later, in 1999. It was titled “Aspects of Jaina Religion”, authored by Dr. Vilas A. Sangam, published in 1990 in English language. The French title was “Le Jainisme, Philosophie et Religion de L’Inde”. Before he wrote his first book on Jainism, Pierre Amiel wrote articles for “Jain Spirit” and translated many texts from the English version at Jainworld.com into French language.
In 2003 his book “Les Jains aujourd’hui dans le monde” was published in France, which in 2008 was translated into English language by Parshwanath Vidyapeeth, Varanasi, India: Jains Today In The World.
Book cover of Pierre Amiel's book
In 2008 his book “B.A.-B.A. Jainisme” [The basics of Jainism] was published in France.
Book cover of Pierre Amiel's translation
These recent translations into French were also from the English versions published at Jainworld.
Book cover of Pierre Amiel's translation
His latest translation into French was “Les legs de Mahavira”, also taken from the English version of the text on Jainworld.
Both of us did really enjoy the encounter with this learned man who once having heard of the philosophy and religion of non-violence deeply involved with it and found sense in dedicating his working capacity for spreading the message.
Our host gave not only mental insights to us, but also took us around to some of the beautiful sites in charming Nice. We saw an open city with many, many tourists, their own way of life celebrating inhabitants and were touched by the way animals, mostly little dogs and sea gulls were bringing their aspect of life into the former belle-époque quarters.
Nice, Place Massena
Seagull on chimney
View from Promenade des Anglais into a street
Pierre Amiel & Karuna Jain
Caroussel from 1900 with 2010 technique
Details of belle-époque building near the port