Editor Carla Geerdes
28.06.2008
Acharya Mahaprajna, Yuvacharya Mahashraman, Sadhvi Pramukha Kanakprabha in the opening session
Terapanth Professionals Conference was scheduled for the weekend of 28th/29th June, which meant Saturday fulltime & Sunday morning. The great opening ceremony on Saturday morning in presence of H.H. Acharya Mahaprajna, Yuvacharya Mahashraman & Sadhvi Pramukha Kanak Prabha took place at the time of the morning lecture. The audience comprised professionals & Sadhaks, very often united in one person. Many of the professionals were used to listen to the morning lecture on weekends, but for the first time they came for it in their capacity of being medical doctor or worker, chartered accountant, social worker, educationalist. As such they were asked to view & reflect the structure of the religious community they were born into.
Yuvacharyashree welcomed the gathering, and then Acharyashree arrived & addressed the audience.
Audience at opening session
Audience at opening session
View to stage at opening session
Weekend lectures are highly frequented by Sadhaks who are supposed to sit cross-legged on the floor. This morning small barriers defined a square filled with white-coat-covered chairs inviting the conference participants for seat. Sadhaks in Samayik - cognisable by mouth pads – preferred the areas without chairs at the borders. Quite some participants to the conference – cognisable by nameplates - did alike. The meeting visibly was a mixture of both, Sadhaks & professionals. In many cases united in one personality.
Until then, professionals did not meet as professionals, but as Sadhaks or followers of Dharma, not taking much notice of each other’s professional competence. This conference gave room to both aspects of their personality & enabled the participants to experience themselves in a more Anekant way. Maybe the conference results in opening new interaction horizons between spiritual & professional life. Sometimes one wishes more independence to professionals.
Attendants to the conference
Many of the attendants - about one third - were young women in their first job or about to complete their formation.
Mahima Bokariya Surat/Bombay correspondent of HereNow4U talking on mobile.
HereNow4U Surat/Bombay correspondent Mahima Bokariya was one of them. Mahima has not only a fulltime job in Mumbai, but also is preparing for PhD at JVB University Ladnun. Mahima & I passed most of the day together, using the opportunity to exchange views & to talk personally on future projects like providing Chaturmas News in English language or how to support online availability of books. Mahima since quite some time is dedicating her few hours free of other obligations to this noble task. By the way, on maternal side Mahima is the grandniece of former Vice-Chancellor of Jain Vishva Bharati University Prof. Gelra.
When the opening session was over, there were two hours for lunch & informally getting into contact or to visit Munis or Sadhvis.
Sadhvi Rajimati giving blessings to Karuna Jain.
Karuna Jain thanking Sadhvi Rajimati.
I went for Darshan of Sadhvi Rajimati & with the help of Shivani who took the photos I also was able to communicate with her. Sadhvishree told me to realise the consciousness of “Karuna” which means compassion from the subtlest level of my being to every bodily cell in a way that even the cloths I am wearing are soaked with compassion & radiating likewise. In the first moment I did not comprehend, but when I bowed down & thanked her I understood that I only had to focus my attention on the process & follow it with the mind. This short encounter really opened me for a process with ever-new facets to perceive.
The description of such an inspiring interaction may appear a bold enterprise, as such an encounter on the spiritual level seems to be a subject beyond description. Any description is in the limits of what can be described, says logic. It nevertheless is necessary to describe at least one should try. Description hinders to forget about the process one is in & also sharpens attention for further processes to come. This task has to be performed by oneself with no other person to do it. But to proof its reality there has to be a witness to the process. And that is what the saints are ready to do for everyone wanting to manifest this reality in life.
Wondering how all this is connected with a professional’s conference, I hurried to Muni Dulheraj for elucidation. He received me with the question, “And what kind of professional are you?” - “Educationalist”, was my immediate answer. Again there was interaction in few words, but much understanding, the base of all communication in its true sense.
Karuna Jain addressing the audience in presence of Yuvacharya Mahashraman.
Karuna Jain addressing the audience in presence of Yuvacharya Mahashraman.
After lunch, there was another plenary session with various lectures followed by contributions of some participants in which I also was admitted to address the gathering. Mahima Bokariya had spoken to the organisers & succeeded in getting the opportunity for presentation of HereNow4U. She also kindly took photos. At the time of tea break many people responded to my speech & expressed the wish to contribute in one way or the other. All of them herewith again heartily are invited to do so & send their valuable contributions.
Late afternoon was scheduled meeting in respective small professional units, to formally bring into contact the participants for exchange of views. Next morning they were expected to report on. This Sunday’s morning lecture was devoted to the reports as well as to the inauguration of Preksha Meditation Camp, for which I had come to Jaipur.