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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Virchand Gandhi

BIRTH PLACE AND EARLY ACCOMPLISHMENTS

He was from Mahuva, Gujarat, India. He was a son of Raghavji Tejpalji Gandhi, a bussinessman. A polyglot who reputedly spoke fourteen languages, he was educated as a lawyer. In 1885, at the age of 21, he became the first honorary secretary of the Jain Association of India. During this time the ruler of Gujarat levied a tax on pilgrims visiting Mount Shatrunjay, Palitana. He fought against it. During the course of this fight Gandhi met Lord Reay, the British colonial governor of Bombay, and Colonel John Watson of the Kathiawar Agency. With the help of these two individuals, he ultimately negotiated an annual fixed payment of Rs. 15000, rather than an individual tax on each pilgrim. In 1891 an English, Boddam started a slaughterhouse near Mount Sametshikhar, a holy place of Jain pilgrimage. He spent six months in Calcutta learning Bengali and preparing his case against the factory, and was eventually successful in getting the factory closed.

Trip to the World Parliament of Religions

Virchand Gandhi represented Jainism at the first World Parliament of Religions, held in Chicago in 1893. Gandhi, was most likely both the first Jain and the first Gujarati to travel to the United States and his statue still stands at the Jain temple in Chicago.

Acharya Vijayanandsuri, also known as Acharya Atmaram, had initially been invited to represent Jainism at the Parliament, but as Jain monks do not travel overseas, could not attend. He therefore recommended him to be the emissary for the religion. Atmaram provided six months training to him. His disciple, Vijay Vallabsuri, who is described in Natuji Shah's book "Jainism: The World of Conquerors" also assisted Gandhi in the preparation. He got positive response at Parliament

Strangers In This Land by E. Allen Richardson mentions this Parliament and Gandhi's subsequent interview with The New York Times

He was a contemporary to Swami Vivekananda, who deeply admired him. He faced criticism over his sea voyage, which was at the time considered unholy. Vivekananda, impressed with his adherence to vegetarianism in the face of the cold Chicago climate came to his defense: in a 1894 letter to Haridas Viharidas Desai, Diwan of Junagadh, he wrote “Now here is Virchand Gandhi, the Jain whom you knew well in Bombay. This man never takes anything but mere vegetables even in this terribly cold climate and tooth and nail tries to defend his countrymen and the religion. The people of this country like him very well. But what are they doing who sent him over? They are trying to outcast him.”

Virchand Gandhi quote on world peace "May peace rule the universe; may peace rule in kingdoms and empires; may peace rule in states and in the lands of the potentates; may peace rule in the house of friends and may peace also rule in the house of enemies

Herbert Warren, who studied Jainism under him and adopted the Jain religion, published a book on his lectures titled Herbert Warren'sJainism.

The American newspaper, the Buffalo Courier wrote regarding him, "of all Eastern scholars, it was this youth whose lectures on Jain Faith and Conduct was listened to with the greatest interest and attention". Later, in Kasadova, he delivered a lecture on 'Some Mistakes Corrected' on 8 August 1894, which prompted the citizens of the city to award him a gold medal.

At Parliament he said:

You know, my brothers and sisters, that we are not an independent nation, we are subjects of Her Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria, 'defender of the faith'. But if we are a nation in all that name implies, with our own government and our own rulers, with our laws and institutions controlled by us, free and independent, I affirm that we should seek to establish and forever maintain peaceful relations with all the nations of the world." "It is an astonishing fact that foreigners have been constantly attacking India and in the face of all this aggression the soul of India has stood vital and watchful. Her conduct and religion are safe and the whole world looks at India with a steady gaze." He added "Cultural distinctions, agriculture, art, artistic skill, literature, good conduct, means of knowledge, science, hospitality, feminism, love, and respect - all these are found in India in quite a different form. If that culture was purchasable, England would have purchased it, adopted it. But it has not happened, it cannot happen.

He had studied Buddhism, Vedanta Philosophy, Christianity, and western philosophy. He praised Mogul Emperor Akbar for his equal treatment of all religions.

Death

He founded Gandhi Philosophical Society and the Society for the Education of Women in India (SEWI) for women education. He participated in Pune session of Indian National Congress in 1895 as a representative of Bombay state He lectured on Indian politics and industry in Large Hall of William Science building on December 19, 1898. He also participated at the international conference of commerce in 1899. He settled tax disputes of Palitana and Shikharji piggery case

He died of lungs hemorrhage on 7 August 1901 at Mahuwar, near Mumbai, India.