Jainism

How Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and fortune, is depicted in Jainism and Buddhism

February 12, 2024

As a region rich in diverse cultures and religions, the subcontinent of India has seen the origin of numerous religious traditions over the centuries. This cultural diversity has fostered acculturation and accommodation of religious beliefs and ideas from one tradition to another. A notable manifestation of this trait is the adaptation of deities from one religion to another. This phenomenon is exemplified by the presence of Shri/Lakshmi in traditions which are outside the fold of Hinduism. Shri is initially mentioned in the Rig Veda and the Shatapatha Brahmana as an all-powerful deity....

Jainism, American Style

November 10, 2023

Far from the religion’s ancient roots in India, a younger generation in the U.S. looks to a spiritual leader who channels the wisdom of a renowned mystic through his global network of Jain study centers aimed at making the teachings more ‘approachable’

Source: https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/community/articles/jainism-american-style

Bandi Chhor Divas, celebrated at Diwali, has a history and values of its own

November 10, 2023

As Hindus celebrate Diwali beginning Sunday (Nov. 12), the Sikh world will observe Bandi Chhor Divas, two distinct festivals that are always celebrated together in October or November, depending on the shifts of the lunar calendar. But while Diwali is a festival honoring the goddess of prosperity and good fortune, Sikhs on this day are encouraged to think about freedom and justice.

The story of Bandi Chhor Divas and its link to Diawli goes back to the early 17^th century, when Guru Hargobind, the sixth Sikh guru, became the leader of the faith...

NYC will add Diwali as a public school holiday. But there’s a catch this year

June 26, 2023

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City will add the festival of Diwali to the list of public school holidays in recognition of the growth of the city’s South Asian and Indo-Caribbean communities, Mayor Eric Adams announced Monday.

Diwali, known as the festival of lights, happens October or November, depending on the lunar calendar.

However, this year it falls on Sunday Nov. 12 — meaning the 2023-2024 school calendar will not be affected by the change.

Source: ...

Asian faiths try to save swastika symbol corrupted by Hitler

November 27, 2022

Sheetal Deo was shocked when she got a letter from her Queens apartment building’s co-op board calling her Diwali decoration “offensive” and demanding she take it down.

“My decoration said ‘Happy Diwali’ and had a swastika on it,” said Deo, a physician, who was celebrating the Hindu festival of lights.

The equilateral cross with its legs bent at right angles is a millennia-old sacred symbol in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism that represents peace and good fortune, and was also used widely by Indigenous people worldwide in a similar vein.

Source:...

'It's about time': Celebrations of Diwali illuminate NYC

October 24, 2022

The week dawned gloomily in New York, but the drab mist was little match for the holiday at hand: Diwali, the festival of lights that symbolizes the triumph over darkness.

Celebrated across South Asia in some fashion by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists, the multi-day festival has secured a sturdy foothold far from the subcontinent in places with significant diaspora populations — like New York.

“One thing I would say — the...

'Where the goodies are great': Sweets lovers welcome Diwali

October 20, 2022

Many preparations go into the celebration of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, which starts Monday.

There’s cleaning and decorating the house, buying new clothes, visiting friends and family — and of course preparing and sharing food. And although the foods associated with Diwali vary from culture to culture, one central theme is snacks and sweets.

The holiday honors the goddess Lakshmi, goddess of prosperity. It celebrates light over darkness, new beginnings, and the triumph of good over evil.

Source:...

How a small town in Wisconsin became home to four Dharmic houses of worship

September 9, 2022

Tucked away on a hill beyond a vast commercial landscape are the first two Dharmic temples to exist in the Midwestern state of Wisconsin.

The 22 acres that are home to the Hindu and Jain Temples of Wisconsin were situated in “the middle of nowhere” when they were built in 2001, according to Sarvesh Geddam, the secretary of the two congregations. Now, the area is laden with fast-food restaurants and surplus warehouses, and Pewaukee, a village next to Waukesha in Milwaukee’s far-west suburbs, has become home to two more groups: devotees of Shirdi Sai Baba, a 20th-century Hindu...

Photo Essay: What My Faith Means to Me

March 23, 2022

Boston University began as a Methodist seminary, the Newbury Biblical Institute, in Newbury, Vt., in 1839. And since its beginnings in Boston in 1869 as Boston University, it has been open to people of all sexes and all religions, many who carve out time from their daily studies and work to find moments to pray, meditate, and reflect.

BU photographer Cydney Scott has long wanted to capture the many ways members of the BU community express their faith. ...

$800K Gift Introduces Jain Studies to CSUN

June 2, 2021

Exposure to a wide range of cultures and faiths is paramount to providing students with a well-rounded higher education, and to building an enlightened and inclusive society. With this shared objective, California State University, Northridge collaborated with Drs. Jasvant Modi and Meera Modi on their $800,000 gift to support the Bhagvan Ajitnath Endowed Professorship in Jain Studies in CSUN’s Department of Religious Studies, part of the College of Humanities.

The principal objective of the endowment is the creation and continued offering of courses on the fundamental...

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