Some Western People who attracted towards Jainism

Jainism was introduced to Germany and rest of European countries by some scholars of Indology in 17th to 19th Century. It was Virchand Gandhi, a Barrister from India who introduced this religion to North America and the world through World Parliament of Religions at Chicago in 1893. Barriester Champatray Jain, another Jain scholar from India, introduced Jainism to England.

Lot of research was done by European scholars in 18th to Early half of 20th Century. But all this was limited to promotion of just knowledge.Then came the second half of last Century. A large number of Jains from India, Uganda, Kenya and some other countries migrated to Europe and North America. Although they were not interested in propagating Jainism in non-Jains, people of other faiths slowly got attracted towards this less known religion.A small but increasing number of people started to adopt Jainism.Here I am introducing some of the great western individuals, who have converted to Jainism.

Pop Singer Claudia Pastorino

Claudia Pastorino is a famous Pop Singer from Italy. Claudia was born in Genova. She was attracted to Jainism and dedicated herself to study of this faith.
She has written many books on Jainism in Italian language.
She learned Prakrit language and translated Saman Suttam in Italian.
She also translated the famous book on Jainism, The Book of Compassion, in Italian language.
She works for Animal Rights and is a staunch vegetarian

Patrick Krueger from Germany

Patrick F. Krueger, born 1972 in Tübingen, is head of the Center for Jaina Studies (CfJS) of Freie Universität Berlin. He attended Rudolf Steiner School of Anthroposophy (Theosophy) until 1990 and spent afterwards several years in Sweden, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Afterwards he studied Ancient and Modern Scandinavian Philology, Norse History and Archaeology at Ernst-Moritz-Arndt Universität Greifswald and assisted in a research project on old Icelandic language (computational linguistics) as well as in the development of a dictionary of modern Icelandic language.

Subsequently, he graduated in History of Indian Art (including Sanskrit) and East Asian Art (including Tibetan language) at Freie Universität Berlin and Ancient and Modern History of South Asia at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.

At Freie Universität Berlin he was introduced to Jainism and Jaina Studies by Prof. Klaus Bruhn who is one of the leading experts in Jainology and was once a student of Ludwig Alsdorf and Walther Schubring. Patrick Krueger is focused on Jaina Art, History and Religion. In 2011 he
founded the Center for Jaina Studies at the Department of History and Cultural Studies of Freie Universität Berlin. In addition to his academic activity he is committed to spread the knowledge of Jainism and Ahimsa to the non-academic public. Hence he joined in 2010 the team of the Jaina web portal and online magazine HereNow4U.net.

Pierre Amiel A French Jain

Pierre Amiel is a retired Public Administrator from France. He first heard about Jainism at the age of 22. After retirement in 1993, he decided to promote Jainism in French language, and started to right articles in Jain Spirit, a Jain magazine published from England. in1998 his first book on Jainism, French translation of Lord Mahavira: A Study in Historical Perspective was published. In very next year, his another book Le Jainisme, Philosophie et Religion de L’Inde a translation of Dr. Vilas Sangave's English book Aspects of Jain Religion was published. In 2003, his own book Les Jains aujourd’hui dans le monde was published which later got translated in English and published as Jains Today in The World by a Jainology research Institute from India. In 2008 his another book B.A.-B.A. Jainisme was published. He has also introduced Tavarth Sutra, Samay Sar and Niyam Sar in French language.
He has given several lectures on Jainism in seminars.
Pierre Amiel became my penfriend in 90's. At that time, I remember, he wrote that he wanted to spread the message of Jainism in all the French Speaking world. He has really taken strong steps to fulfill his ambitions.

Film Maker Author Dr. Michael Tobias

Dr. Michael Tobias is a Film Maker, Author and Ecologist. He has written several books on Ecology, Animal Rights, Jainism and other subjects. One of his famous book on Jainism is Life Force: The World of Jainism, which is known as the Best book on Jainism.
He produced a film on Jainism Ahimsa –Nonviolence which was release all over United States and appreciated on large scale.
He regularly writes on various subjects in American print media, including the Forbes magazine.

Charlotte Laws: a Multi Dimensional Personality

Charlotte Laws is an American author and Animal Rights Activist. She is also a politician from Los Angeles.
She also host some TV shows and is an actress too.
She has written two books on Jains and Jainism.
Really she is a multi dimensional personality

Dr. Robert Zydenbos is a renowned scholar of Jainism and Dravidian studies. He was born in Canada and is of Dutch origin. He has written several books on Jainism, including Moksha in Jainism, and Jainism Today and its Future.
He regularly visits Dharmasthala and Shravanabelagola in Karnataka, India, the sacred places of Jains.

Dr Natalia Zheleznova: Russian Scholar

Dr Natalia Zheleznova is research scholar of Jainism inMoscow State University Russia. She has a deep study and faith in the literture of Acharya Kundkunda. Has visited Shravanabelagola. Recently she got Kund Kund Bharati Award from Kund Kund Bharati, a Prakrit research institute from New Delhi.

Dimitris Gf Jain from Greece

Dimitris Gf Jain: A Jain from Greece

Dimitris Gf Jain was born to orthodox Christian couple of Greece, but he never embraced Christianity due to philosophical reasons. He embraced his own lifestyle, and later got to know it matched with Jain philosophy and its teaching.
He is a Vegan Jain, knows Greek, English and Hindi languages. He is probably the only Jain in Greece.

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Mahatma Gandhi- True Jain

Mahatma Gandhi, the great leader of India's freedom movement was influenced by Jain Philosophy. This article gives you information on Gandhi's affinity with Jainism.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born in Gujarat, a West coast state of India. Gujarat has a rich history of Jainism. Aritthanemi, the 22nd ford maker of Jainism, who was a cousin of Krishna, promoted Jainism in this region in approximately 10th Century B.C.E. Great Jain kings like Kumarpal and others gave royal patronage to Jainism in this region. Gujarat is the region which gave birth to great Jain ascetics like Acharya Hemachandra, Acharya Sheel Gun Soori, Shrimad Raj Chandra, Kanaji Swami and others.

Gujarat and Gujaratis have been always influenced by Jainism. So was Mahatma Gandhi. He was influenced by overall Jain environment of Gujarat, his mother Putalibai's affiliation to Jainism and his friendship with the great Jain philosopher Shrimad Rajchandra.

Gandhi was born in Modh Vanik community, a merchant community of Gujarat. This community is influenced by Jainism for many centuries. The great Jain ascetic from Gujarat Acharya Hemachandra himself was from this community. Many Modh Vaniks have contributed in promotion of Jainism and even today, there are many Jain monks from this community. Although most of the laymen from this community are Vaishnavites today, a big percentage of Modhs were followers of Jainism until recent past.

Influence by Mother Putalibai

We get a lot of information about influence of Jainism on Mahatma Gandhi from his autobiography and biographies. He was born on 2nd October of 1869 in a Vaishanavite family of Porabandar. He was not a Jain by Birth. But his mother Putalibai was greatly influenced by Jainism. Becharji Swami, a Jain monk was spiritual adviser of Putalibai. When young Gandhi decided to go to England for study of laws at the age of 18, Bechar Swami asked Putalibai that Mohandas should take vows. Accordingly, Gandhi vowed not to eat meat, not to take alcohol and not to touch woman.

Influence by Shrimad Rajchandra
Famous Jain philosopher Shrimad Rajchandra was one of the best friends of Gandhi. Rajchandra was a genius having deep knowledge of Jain philosophy. When Gandhi was in South Africa, he sent a long questionnaire to Shrimad Rajchandra. The questionnaire had 27 questions which were promptly answered by the latter.

It will be interesting to know some of the questions Gandhi asked:

1. What is the Soul? Does it perform actions? Do past actions impede its progress or not?

2. What is God? Is He creator of the Universe?

3. What is Moksha?

4. Do all religion originated from Vedas?

5. Does any merit accrue by the sacrifice of animals?

6. What do you think about Christianity?

7. Can anyone remember his past lives or have an idea of future lives?

8. What will finally happen to this world?

9. Will the world morally better of in the future?

10. Is there anything like total destruction of the world?

11. If a snake is about to bite me, should I allow myself to be bitten or should I kill it supposing that that is the only way in which I can save myself?

Gandhi admits in his autobiography that he was greatly influenced by the thoughts of Shrimad Rajchandra. He puts Rajachandra in number one position in the first three personalities who influenced his thoughts. The other two were Ruskin and Tolstoy.

Overall Influence of Jainism on Gandhi

Gandhi adopted all the five vows of Jainism for laymen, with a higher degree. The vows include Non Violence, Truth, Non stealing, Non Possession and Celibacy.

But beyond that, he seems to be a true Jain when we see his braveness. We do not see any instance in his movements that he behaved like a coward. He was a brave man without a weapon, throughout his life.

Another great influence of Jainism on Gandhi was simplicity and the dress code. He did wear only essential clothing, that too made from cotton. He did wear white only cloths. A clear indication of influence by Jain ascetic's life.

As we know, the Jain monks do not use vehicles and wander everywhere on their bare feet. Although Gandhi used vehicles, he is famous for his long marches on feet. His marches were clearly adopted from the practices of Jain monks.

That is why we can say that he was a true Jain.

Gandhi's Contribution to Jainism
Gandhi's greatest contribution to Jainism was that he made Jain principles practical. He applied the principles on large scale involving masses. We can say that he was the first man to apply Jain principles for social and political movements.

Gandhi Quotes on Jainism

"No religion of the world has explained the principle of non-violence so deeply and systematically, with its applicability in life as in Jainism.......Bhagwan Mahavir is sure to be respected as the greatest authority on non-violence"

"I say with conviction that the doctrine for which the name of Lord Mahavir is glorified nowadays is the doctrine of Ahimsa. If anyone has practiced to the fullest extent and has propagated most the doctrine of Ahimsa, it was Lord Mahavira"


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Umang Shah

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