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Acharya Shri Mahapragya ( hi, आचार्य महाप्रज्ञ ''Ācārya mahapragya'')(14 June 1920 – 9 May 2010) was the tenth head of the Svetambar Terapanth order of
Jainism Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religions, Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current ...
. Mahapragya was a saint,
yogi A yogi is a practitioner of Yoga, including a sannyasin or practitioner of meditation in Indian religions.A. K. Banerjea (2014), ''Philosophy of Gorakhnath with Goraksha-Vacana-Sangraha'', Motilal Banarsidass, , pp. xxiii, 297-299, 331 Th ...
, spiritual leader, philosopher, author,
orator An orator, or oratist, is a public speaker, especially one who is eloquent or skilled. Etymology Recorded in English c. 1374, with a meaning of "one who pleads or argues for a cause", from Anglo-French ''oratour'', Old French ''orateur'' (14th ...
, and poet. He began his life of religious reflection and development as a
Jain monk Jain monasticism refers to the order of monks and nuns in the Jain community and can be divided into two major denominations: the ''Digambara'' and the '' Śvētāmbara''. The monastic practices of the two major sects vary greatly, but the ...
at the age of ten. Mahapragya played a major role in Anuvrat movement launched by his
Guru Guru ( sa, गुरु, IAST: ''guru;'' Pali'': garu'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: traditionally, the guru is a reverentia ...
Acharya Tulsi in 1949, and became the acknowledged leader of the movement in 1995. Acharya Mahapragya formulated the well organized
Preksha meditation Jain meditation (''dhyāna'') has been the central practice of spirituality in Jainism along with the Ratnatraya, Three Jewels. Jainism holds that emancipation can only be achieved through meditation or Shukla Dhyana.' According to Sagarmal Jai ...
system in the 1970s, and developed the "Science of Living" education system which is a practical approach for the balanced development of a student and his character building. He traversed more than 100,000 km on foot covering more than 10,000 villages reaching out to the masses spreading the message of harmony and peace. He walked across the length and breadth of
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
From Kutch district in Gujarat to
Kolkata Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...
and from
Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
to
Kanyakumari Kanniyakumari (; , referring to Devi Kanya Kumari), also known as Cape Comorin, is a city in Kanniyakumari district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is the southern tip of the Indian subcontinent and the southernmost city in mainland Ind ...
. Mahapragya undertook this travel under the leadership of Acharya Tulsi and later with himself being the leader. During these travels, he addressed thousands of public meetings. Mahapragya, an apostle of
nonviolence Nonviolence is the personal practice of not causing harm to others under any condition. It may come from the belief that hurting people, animals and/or the environment is unnecessary to achieve an outcome and it may refer to a general philosoph ...
, launched the
Ahimsa Ahimsa (, IAST: ''ahiṃsā'', ) is the ancient Indian principle of nonviolence which applies to all living beings. It is a key virtue in most Indian religions: Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism.Bajpai, Shiva (2011). The History of India ...
Yatra ( sa, यात्रा, 'journey', 'procession'), in Indian-origin religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, generally means a pilgrimage to holy places such as confluences of sacred rivers, sacred mountains, places associated w ...
movement in 2001 which continued until 2009 to promote non-violence and harmony.


Biography


Early life

Mahapragya was born to Tola Ram Choraria and Baluji in the small village of
Tamkor Tamkor is a small village in the Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area a ...
in Rajasthan. It was a Jain Shwetambar Terapanthi Oswal family. He was called Nathmal by his family. He lost his father when he was just two and half months old. It was an extended family and he gained support from all the family members. Nathmal's mother was very affectionate for the child and took care with his upbringing. There was no formal school in
Tamkor Tamkor is a small village in the Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area a ...
village in those days and he did not receive a formal education. He nonetheless had lessons on letters and mathematics tables from local teacher(s). Mahapragya's mother was religious lady who devoted her spare time to spiritual matters. She also used to recite religious songs which made an imprint on the young child. Her spirituality inspired him. Mahapragya received lessons on philosophy from
Jain Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current time cycle being ...
monks who visited the village. Eventually he conveyed to his mother his wish to be initiated into monkhood. On 29 January 1931, he became a monk at the age of ten.
Acharya Kalugani In Indian religions and society, an ''acharya'' (Sanskrit: आचार्य, IAST: ; Pali: ''ācariya'') is a preceptor and expert instructor in matters such as religion, or any other subject. An acharya is a highly learned person with a t ...
, eighth Acharya of
Jain Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current time cycle being ...
Swetambar Terapanth initiated him to monkhood in the town of Sardarsahar (Rajasthan). With this, Nathmal became Muni Nathmal.
Acharya Kalugani In Indian religions and society, an ''acharya'' (Sanskrit: आचार्य, IAST: ; Pali: ''ācariya'') is a preceptor and expert instructor in matters such as religion, or any other subject. An acharya is a highly learned person with a t ...
arranged for Muni Nathmal's studies under Muni Tulsi's classes, who later became the Ninth
Acharya In Indian religions and society, an ''acharya'' (Sanskrit: आचार्य, IAST: ; Pali: ''ācariya'') is a preceptor and expert instructor in matters such as religion, or any other subject. An acharya is a highly learned person with a tit ...
. Nathmal started getting lessons in the monastery on various subjects of
Jain Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current time cycle being ...
philosophy. With Muni Tulsi, the child's intellectual development accelerated and he memorised thousands of sermons and verses in
Hindi Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been de ...
,
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
,
Prakrit The Prakrits (; sa, prākṛta; psu, 𑀧𑀸𑀉𑀤, ; pka, ) are a group of vernacular Middle Indo-Aryan languages that were used in the Indian subcontinent from around the 3rd century BCE to the 8th century CE. The term Prakrit is usu ...
, and
Rajasthani Rajasthani may refer to: * something of, from, or related to Rajasthan, a state of India * Rajasthani languages, a group of languages spoken there * Rajasthani people, the native inhabitants of the region * Rajasthani architecture * Rajasthani art ...
. His education at the monastery included history, philosophy, logic, and grammar. He made an in-depth study of Jain scriptures, became a scholar of
Jain Agamas Jain literature (Sanskrit: जैन साहित्य) refers to the literature of the Jain religion. It is a vast and ancient literary tradition, which was initially transmitted orally. The oldest surviving material is contained in the ca ...
, and a critic of Indian and western philosophy. By the age of 22, he was competent in
Hindi Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been de ...
,
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
,
Prakrit The Prakrits (; sa, prākṛta; psu, 𑀧𑀸𑀉𑀤, ; pka, ) are a group of vernacular Middle Indo-Aryan languages that were used in the Indian subcontinent from around the 3rd century BCE to the 8th century CE. The term Prakrit is usu ...
, and
Rajasthani Rajasthani may refer to: * something of, from, or related to Rajasthan, a state of India * Rajasthani languages, a group of languages spoken there * Rajasthani people, the native inhabitants of the region * Rajasthani architecture * Rajasthani art ...
languages and literature. In Sanskrit, he was also an expert impromptu or extempore poet and demonstrated this skill in many gatherings of intellectuals. He also studied physics, biology,
ayurved Ayurveda () is an alternative medicine system with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent. The theory and practice of Ayurveda is pseudoscientific. Ayurveda is heavily practiced in India and Nepal, where around 80% of the population repor ...
, politics, economics, and sociology.


Spiritual endeavors (1945–1978)


Anuvrat movement

Mahapragya played an instrumental role in the Anuvrat movement launched on 2 March 1949 by his
guru Guru ( sa, गुरु, IAST: ''guru;'' Pali'': garu'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: traditionally, the guru is a reverentia ...
and the head of Jain Shwetambra Terapanth, Acharya Tulsi. The ultimate aim of the movement was and remains to create a nonviolent socio-political world order with the help of a worldwide network of self-transformed people. Since its inception it has inspired millions of people to practice purity and self-discipline in their personal lpreparation of the contents of Anuvrat and worked as a core member in the movement, many times representing Acharya Tulsi by explaining the principles of Anuvrat. Acharya Shri Tulsi nominated Muni Nathmal as the Secretary (''Nikaya Sachiv'') of Terapanth in 1965 at Hissar,
Haryana Haryana (; ) is an Indian state located in the northern part of the country. It was carved out of the former state of East Punjab on 1 Nov 1966 on a linguistic basis. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with less than 1.4% () of India's land ar ...
, after being Group leader (''Agraganya'') for almost 21 years.


Agam research and editing

After consulting Mahapragya, Acharya Tulsi decided to start the research, translation and annotation of the
Jain Agamas Jain literature (Sanskrit: जैन साहित्य) refers to the literature of the Jain religion. It is a vast and ancient literary tradition, which was initially transmitted orally. The oldest surviving material is contained in the ca ...
. The work started in 1955 in
Ujjain Ujjain (, Hindustani language, Hindustani pronunciation: Help:IPA/Hindi and Urdu, d͡ːʒɛːn is a city in Ujjain district of the States and territories of India, Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is the fifth-largest city in Madhya Prad ...
under the leadership of Acharya Tulsi with Mahapragya being the editorial director. Joint activity of Acharya Tulsi, Mahapragya and other intellectual monks and nuns began to facilitate the permanent preservation of many thousands of years old canonical scriptures. This old literature is in
Prakrit The Prakrits (; sa, prākṛta; psu, 𑀧𑀸𑀉𑀤, ; pka, ) are a group of vernacular Middle Indo-Aryan languages that were used in the Indian subcontinent from around the 3rd century BCE to the 8th century CE. The term Prakrit is usu ...
language and its commentaries are either available in Prakrit or Prakrit mixed with
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
. The original text of the thirty-two Agam scriptures was determined and their
Hindi Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been de ...
translation also completed. Detailed commentaries thereon made them more interesting and comprehensible. This task carried out in accordance with the verbal renderings by Acharya Tulsi was guided by an entirely non-sectarian and open mind and is therefore viewed with respect by the heads of other sects as well as intellectual and oriental scholars of the East and the West. ''Acharang Bhasyam'' is Mahapragya's commentary for Acharang in
sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
. He uncovered many Agam mysteries and presented root philosophies and
Mahavira Mahavira (Sanskrit: महावीर) also known as Vardhaman, was the 24th ''tirthankara'' (supreme preacher) of Jainism. He was the spiritual successor of the 23rd ''tirthankara'' Parshvanatha. Mahavira was born in the early part of the 6t ...
's philosophy and vision in this commentary.


Formulation of Preksha Meditation System

While in his late twenties, Mahapragya started to realize the wonders of meditation. He was open to experiment with spiritual techniques. He discussed his discoveries with Acharya Tulsi and thereafter Mahapragya started dedicating more time to meditation practices. He exercised deep practice of meditation and experimented with various techniques. He made a deep research of
Jain Agamas Jain literature (Sanskrit: जैन साहित्य) refers to the literature of the Jain religion. It is a vast and ancient literary tradition, which was initially transmitted orally. The oldest surviving material is contained in the ca ...
, ancient scriptures, ''Yoga'' science,
Biology Biology is the scientific study of life. It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single, coherent field. For instance, all organisms are made up of cells that process hereditary i ...
, Modern Physics,
Naturopathy Naturopathy, or naturopathic medicine, is a form of alternative medicine. A wide array of pseudoscientific practices branded as "natural", "non-invasive", or promoting "self-healing" are employed by its practitioners, who are known as naturop ...
, and
Ayurveda Ayurveda () is an alternative medicine system with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent. The theory and practice of Ayurveda is pseudoscientific. Ayurveda is heavily practiced in India and Nepal, where around 80% of the population repo ...
, etc. After a deep practice for over 20 years, he formulated the
Preksha meditation Jain meditation (''dhyāna'') has been the central practice of spirituality in Jainism along with the Ratnatraya, Three Jewels. Jainism holds that emancipation can only be achieved through meditation or Shukla Dhyana.' According to Sagarmal Jai ...
system in 1975. He formulated the meditation system in a very well organized and scientific way. The basic four wings of the meditation system can be summarized as – Meditation, ''Yogasana'' and ''Pranaayam'',
Mantra A mantra (Pali: ''manta'') or mantram (मन्त्रम्) is a sacred utterance, a numinous sound, a syllable, word or phonemes, or group of words in Sanskrit, Pali and other languages believed by practitioners to have religious, ma ...
, and therapy. Before presenting
Preksha meditation Jain meditation (''dhyāna'') has been the central practice of spirituality in Jainism along with the Ratnatraya, Three Jewels. Jainism holds that emancipation can only be achieved through meditation or Shukla Dhyana.' According to Sagarmal Jai ...
in formal training camps, Mahapragya made a special practice of meditation and spiritual exertion for a period of nine months which started on 3 March 1977. The First formal Preksha meditation camp was organized later in 1977. Since that time Acharya Mahapragya had conducted hundreds of camps for training in Preksha meditation. Many Preksha Meditation centers are operative across the
globe A globe is a spherical model of Earth, of some other celestial body, or of the celestial sphere. Globes serve purposes similar to maps, but unlike maps, they do not distort the surface that they portray except to scale it down. A model globe ...
. Research, detail training, and studies on Preksha Meditation is an important activity at
Jain Vishva Bharati University Jain Vishva Bharati Institute is a deemed university in Rajasthan. History JVBI was established with the inspiration of Acharya Tulsi, the 9th Head of the Jain Svetambar Terapanth religious sect, in Ladnun, Dist Nagaur, Rajasthan. In 20ma ...
.


Science of Living Education System

Science of Living education system is an effort to implement value-based education and moral education. Its goal and approach is overall development of student and not simply just the intellectual development. Mere intellectual development can't help in building real experience and character of the student. It aims for a balanced emotional, intellectual and physical development. It gives more emphasis on practical training as compared to mere philosophy. The model includes
Yoga Yoga (; sa, योग, lit=yoke' or 'union ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consciou ...
,
Pranayam ''Pranayam'' () is a 2011 Indian Malayalam-language romantic drama film written and directed by Blessy. The film stars Mohanlal, Jaya Prada, and Anupam Kher. The plot revolves around the love bound between the characters of Mathews (Mohanlal), ...
, Postures, Meditation, contemplation techniques, etc. Scientific techniques of Science of Living helps in balancing the emotions of the student. It helps in balanced functioning of the neuro-endocrine system in
body Body may refer to: In science * Physical body, an object in physics that represents a large amount, has mass or takes up space * Body (biology), the physical material of an organism * Body plan, the physical features shared by a group of anima ...
. It works for the transformation of emotions, inculcate positive attitude and integrated development of personality. Acharya Mahapragya conceived the idea of 'Science of Living' on 28 December 1979 at Jain Vishva Bharati,
Ladnun Ladnu, also Ladnun, is a city and a municipality, nearby Nagaur city in Nagaur district in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is a Tehsil headquarters of Nagaur district. This city is famous as the birthplace of sacred Jain Aacharya Tulsi. It i ...
, Rajasthan. Mahapragya developed the Science of Living education system model. Many camps were conducted for the teachers of
Nagore Nagore is a town in the Nagapattinam District, Tamil Nadu, India. It is located approximately 12 km North of Karaikal and 5 km South of Nagapattinam. Nearby towns are Karaikal, Tiruvarur, and Velankanni. It has a population of appr ...
district,
Rajasthan Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern si ...
. Science of Living started getting positive reception from ministry of education and various educational society. Rajasthan ministry of education facilitated the training of teachers and camps were started. Some people started research in this field. Few schools were selected to start implementation of Science of Living. After one year of its implementation in schools, the results were surprising and very positive for students. It started getting wider acceptance with education ministry of Indian Government and state governments. Many schools started including it in their curriculum. Science of Living got very positive feedback from teachers, student and parents on the student's emotional and overall development as such. Some of the feedback can be summarized as reduce in stress, improved efficiency in studies, better concentration and memory, better anger management, etc.


Successor to Acharya Tulsi

Impressed by Muni Nathmal (later Mahapragya), Acharya Tulsi honored him with the qualitative epithet of ''Mahapragya'' (highly knowledged) on 12 November 1978. On 4 February 1979, his appellation 'Mahapragya' was converted into his new name by Acharya Tulsi and he was also made 'Yuvacharya', successor designate to the present Acharya, the second highest position after the Acharya himself. With this elevation, he was now referred as ''Yuvacharya Mahapragya''. As a ''Yuvacharya '', Mahapragya became a close associate of Acharya Tulsi in major decisions and activities related to the sect. In a public meeting on 18 February 1994, Acharya Tulsi declared that Mahapragya would now have the title of 'Acharya' also and that the former was renouncing this position forthwith. Subsequently, on 5 February 1995, Mahapragya was formally consecrated as the 10th Acharya – the supreme head – of the Terapanth religious order in a public meeting in
Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...
. Having been elevated within Terapanth, Mahapragya received many responsibilities. Further intensification of the movements of Anuvrat, Preksha dhyan, and Jeevan Vigyan now became his primary concern. A ''Vikash Parishad'' – development council – has been constituted by Mahapragya to give further fillip to all these movements and underline their importance.


Jain Vishva Bharati University

Acharya Mahapragya played a key role in the conception and establishment of
Jain Vishva Bharati University Jain Vishva Bharati Institute is a deemed university in Rajasthan. History JVBI was established with the inspiration of Acharya Tulsi, the 9th Head of the Jain Svetambar Terapanth religious sect, in Ladnun, Dist Nagaur, Rajasthan. In 20ma ...
,
Ladnun Ladnu, also Ladnun, is a city and a municipality, nearby Nagaur city in Nagaur district in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is a Tehsil headquarters of Nagaur district. This city is famous as the birthplace of sacred Jain Aacharya Tulsi. It i ...
, Rajasthan . It was established under the spiritual patronage of Acharya Tulsi in 1991. Acharya Mahapragya served as head of this university since 1995. The university's objective is to revive truths and values hidden in the ancient Indian traditions in general and in the Jain tradition in particular. It provides platforms and infrastructures for doing research in various subjects and for the pursuance of doctorate degrees. One of the prime objectives of this university is to spread literacy in subjects like nonviolence and peace, Jainology,
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
,
Prakrit The Prakrits (; sa, prākṛta; psu, 𑀧𑀸𑀉𑀤, ; pka, ) are a group of vernacular Middle Indo-Aryan languages that were used in the Indian subcontinent from around the 3rd century BCE to the 8th century CE. The term Prakrit is usu ...
,
yoga Yoga (; sa, योग, lit=yoke' or 'union ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consciou ...
, meditation, and literature. Regular degree courses leading to bachelor's and master's degrees are presently being conducted.


Ahimsa Yatra (2001–2009)

The world's problems touched Acharya Mahapragya deeply. In response, he came up with the solution of Ahimsa Yatra, a journey on foot to advance the cause of non-violence, was launched by Mahapragya 5 December 2001 at Sujangarh in Rajasthan. With Ahimsa Yatra, Acharyaji's mission is to train and spread nonviolence and its broad perspective to people. It is an endeavor to awaken a new faith in the infinite power of nonviolence. It aims at bringing the problems of all forms of violence into sharp focus. Its mission is to provide training for transforming the negative thoughts/emotions into positive direction. The spiritual aspect of non-violence training is to ignite the consciousness of non-violence and to cultivate the values of non-violence. And its practical aspect is the employment training for livelihood. Having eschewed violence and pledged to refrain from killing innocent creatures; political leaders, social workers, and spiritual leaders came to him for advice. He took his Yatra from Rajasthan to Gujarat,
Maharashtra Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...
, Daman, Madhya Pradesh,
Haryana Haryana (; ) is an Indian state located in the northern part of the country. It was carved out of the former state of East Punjab on 1 Nov 1966 on a linguistic basis. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with less than 1.4% () of India's land ar ...
,
Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...
, some parts of
Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 1950 ...
,
Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
, and
Chandigarh Chandigarh () is a planned city in India. Chandigarh is bordered by the state of Punjab to the west and the south, and by the state of Haryana to the east. It constitutes the bulk of the Chandigarh Capital Region or Greater Chandigarh, which al ...
. He passed through 87 districts of
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
, and covered more than 2400 villages, towns and cities, where he held meetings with many spiritual and political leaders and appealed for communal harmony. Approximately 40,000 volunteers were assigned to various responsibilities in their local areas. This Yatra allowed him to come into direct contact with farmers and common and poor people of the villages which he visited. He stopped at all the small villages on his route and held open mass meetings. Through this public speaking, Acharyaji created awareness on the broad perspectives of nonviolence, unemployment eradication, leading a life free from
drug addiction Addiction is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by a persistent and intense urge to engage in certain behaviors, one of which is the usage of a drug, despite substantial harm and other negative consequences. Repetitive drug use of ...
, bad habits, communal harmony, healthy living, and harmonious social and personal lives. Side by side volunteers spread out in different directions in order to establish personal contact with families afflicted by drug addictions, unemployment, and stress. These volunteers were then to stay behind in order to help solve the afflicted's problems. Verily the villages and towns trekked by the Acharya become centres of training in
ahimsa Ahimsa (, IAST: ''ahiṃsā'', ) is the ancient Indian principle of nonviolence which applies to all living beings. It is a key virtue in most Indian religions: Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism.Bajpai, Shiva (2011). The History of India ...
. The Yatra concluded 4 January 2009 at Sujangarh, the same place where it had been begun.


FUREC

President of India The president of India ( IAST: ) is the head of state of the Republic of India. The president is the nominal head of the executive, the first citizen of the country, as well as the commander-in-chief of the Indian Armed Forces. Droupadi Murmu ...
,
Dr. Doctor is an academic title that originates from the Latin word of the same spelling and meaning. The word is originally an agentive noun of the Latin verb 'to teach'. It has been used as an academic title in Europe since the 13th century, w ...
A P J Abdul Kalam Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam (; 15 October 193127 July 2015) was an Indian aerospace scientist and statesman who served as the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007. He was born and raised in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu and studied phy ...
's vision for a fully developed beautiful India with prosperous and harmonious life for its citizens, especially the youth, motivated enlightened spiritual and religious leaders who organized a Conclave under the aegis of Acharya Mahapragya at Surat on 15 October 2003, also the birthday of Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. The Action Plan discussed during the Conclave was documented and is known as 'Surat Spiritual Declaration' (SSD). The SSD Action Plan envisages "Five Garland Projects". The emphasis of four projects was on celebration of inter religious festivals, multi religious projects, healthcare, and employment, imbibing value based education in schools and encouraging interfaith dialogue among religious/spiritual heads. In order to pursue these in a sustained manner and to coordinate all activities, a national level independent and autonomous organization managed by religious/ spiritual leaders as well as scholars and enlightened Citizens was set up. This organization was named "Foundation for Unity of Religious and Enlightened Citizenship' (FUREC). FUREC was launched by the president Dr.
A P J Abdul Kalam Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam (; 15 October 193127 July 2015) was an Indian aerospace scientist and statesman who served as the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007. He was born and raised in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu and studied phy ...
on the birthday of Acharya Mahapragya, 15 June 2004 at
Rashtrapati Bhavan The Rashtrapati Bhavan (, rāsh-truh-puh-ti bha-vun; ; originally Viceroy's House and later Government House) is the official residence of the President of India at the western end of Rajpath, Raisina Hill, New Delhi, India. Rashtrapati Bh ...
, New Delhi. FUREC combines the objectives of the Surat Spiritual Declaration and president Dr.
A P J Abdul Kalam Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam (; 15 October 193127 July 2015) was an Indian aerospace scientist and statesman who served as the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007. He was born and raised in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu and studied phy ...
's Vision 2020 and is a non-profit organization which was founded by 15 spiritual leaders.


Spiritual practices


Meditation

Mahapragya himself is a great practitioner of
meditation Meditation is a practice in which an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally cal ...
. He has also written extensively on these topics. He started practicing
mantra A mantra (Pali: ''manta'') or mantram (मन्त्रम्) is a sacred utterance, a numinous sound, a syllable, word or phonemes, or group of words in Sanskrit, Pali and other languages believed by practitioners to have religious, ma ...
and meditation with his initiation to monkhood. In his twenties he started delving deeper into meditation and realized his profound interest for it. He used to practice it for hours and hours. His experience of meditation resulted in formulation of
Preksha meditation Jain meditation (''dhyāna'') has been the central practice of spirituality in Jainism along with the Ratnatraya, Three Jewels. Jainism holds that emancipation can only be achieved through meditation or Shukla Dhyana.' According to Sagarmal Jai ...
system. He also practiced Mantra chanting daily and became a Mantra expert with rich experience in it. He said from his experiences, the practice of Mantra can help people in awaking their hidden powers. Mahapragya used to practice Yogasana,
Pranayama Pranayama is the yogic practice of focusing on breath. In Sanskrit, '' prana'' means "vital life force", and ''yama'' means to gain control. In yoga, breath is associated with ''prana'', thus, pranayama is a means to elevate the '' prana'' ''sha ...
to keep himself fit. Mahapragya observed silence ( Mauna) for more than three hours during the evening hours. Mahapragya used to be very conscious of his daily activity and meditative during all his activities like walking, eating, etc.


Disciplines of monkhood

Mahapragya took five major vows as a part of initiation to monkhood at the age of ten. These
Mahavrata Jain ethical code prescribes two ''dharmas'' or rules of conduct. One for those who wish to become ascetic and another for the ''śrāvaka'' (householders). Five fundamental vows are prescribed for both votaries. These vows are observed by '' ...
are non-violence (
Ahimsa Ahimsa (, IAST: ''ahiṃsā'', ) is the ancient Indian principle of nonviolence which applies to all living beings. It is a key virtue in most Indian religions: Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism.Bajpai, Shiva (2011). The History of India ...
), truth (
Satya ''Satya'' (Sanskrit: सत्य; IAST: ''satya)'' is a Sanskrit word loosely translated as truth, essence. A. A. Macdonell, ''Sanskrit English Dictionary'', Asian Educational Services, , pp. 330–331 It also refers to a virtue in Indian relig ...
), non-stealing (
Asteya ''Achourya'' (Sanskrit: अचौर्यः, IAST: Acauryaḥ ) or ''Asteya'' (Sanskrit: अस्तेय; IAST: ''asteya'') is the Sanskrit term for "non-stealing". It is a virtue in Hinduism . The practice of ''asteya'' demands that one mus ...
), Chastity/Celibacy (
Brahmacharya ''Brahmacharya'' (; sa, ब्रह्मचर्य ) is a concept within Indian religions that literally means to stay in conduct within one's own Self. In Yoga, Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism it generally refers to a lifestyle charac ...
), and non-possession/non-attachment (
Aparigraha Non-possession (aparigraha ( sa, अपरिग्रह)) is a philosophy that holds that no one or anything possesses anything. ln Jainism, aparigraha is the virtue of non-possessiveness, non-grasping or non-greediness.Arti Dhand (2002), The d ...
). As a
Jain Muni Jain monasticism refers to the order of monks and nuns in the Jain community and can be divided into two major denominations: the ''Digambara'' and the ''Śvētāmbara''. The monastic practices of the two major sects vary greatly, but the maj ...
(monk), he traveled only on foot and could not make use of a vehicle unless and until he was incapable of walking. He did not eat or drink after sunset and before sunrise. He did not cook food but had to go out for
alms Alms (, ) are money, food, or other material goods donated to people living in poverty. Providing alms is often considered an act of virtue or Charity (practice), charity. The act of providing alms is called almsgiving, and it is a widespread p ...
. He accepted only vegetarian food. He did not own a house. He could not stay in a single place for long periods. He constantly had to change places and could only move into a house with the owner's permission. He did not possess any thing except for few basic items like clothes and a bowl for alms.


Writing

Mahapragya started writing when he was 22 and did not cease until his death. He authored more than 300 books. These works deal with meditation and spirituality, the mind, the human psyche and its traits, the roots of emotions and their manifestation through behaviour,
Mantra A mantra (Pali: ''manta'') or mantram (मन्त्रम्) is a sacred utterance, a numinous sound, a syllable, word or phonemes, or group of words in Sanskrit, Pali and other languages believed by practitioners to have religious, ma ...
saadhana,
Yoga Yoga (; sa, योग, lit=yoke' or 'union ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consciou ...
,
Anekantavada ( hi, अनेकान्तवाद, "many-sidedness") is the Jain doctrine about metaphysical truths that emerged in ancient India. It states that the ultimate truth and reality is complex and has multiple aspects. According to Jainism, ...
, Non violence, and Jain philosophy and history.. His main achievement was in bringing together the Jain concepts of karma and human behavior with the findings of modern biology in areas such as genetics, DNA, hormones and the endocrine system. In his book ''Art of Thinking Positive ', he explored the root causes of negative thoughts and provided a methodology for its transformation. Some other book titles include ''Towards Inner Harmony'', ''I and Mine'', ''Mind beyond Mind'', ''Mysteries of Mind'', ''New Man New World'', ''Mirror of Self''. Mahapragya formulated Preksha meditation and wrote extensively on this topic. In these books he described various techniques of meditations and their effects on the psyche, physiology, hormonal influences, the endocrine system, and the nervous system. He has done extensive work on
Anekantavada ( hi, अनेकान्तवाद, "many-sidedness") is the Jain doctrine about metaphysical truths that emerged in ancient India. It states that the ultimate truth and reality is complex and has multiple aspects. According to Jainism, ...
, the philosophy of non-absolutism and relativity. He was a practitioner of this philosophy propounded by Lord
Mahaveer Mahavira (Sanskrit: महावीर) also known as Vardhaman, was the 24th ''tirthankara'' (supreme preacher) of Jainism. He was the spiritual successor of the 23rd ''tirthankara'' Parshvanatha. Mahavira was born in the early part of the 6 ...
which affirms that there is no problem that cannot be resolved with the application of
Anekantavada ( hi, अनेकान्तवाद, "many-sidedness") is the Jain doctrine about metaphysical truths that emerged in ancient India. It states that the ultimate truth and reality is complex and has multiple aspects. According to Jainism, ...
. He showed ways how one can improve his thought process with Anekaant and use it for a peaceful life and co-existence. His book ''Anekanta The Third Eye'' discusses the details of the philosophy. He has written many books on Jain Philosophy providing a serious material on Jain beliefs and vision. ''Jain darshan: manan and mimaansha'' is one of these creations and a research work in which Acharya Mahapragya elaborated numerous deep facets of the Jain belief system via a detailed interpretation. Another precise work is Philosophical Foundations of Jainism. ''Shraman Mahaveer'' is biographical work on
Mahaveer Mahavira (Sanskrit: महावीर) also known as Vardhaman, was the 24th ''tirthankara'' (supreme preacher) of Jainism. He was the spiritual successor of the 23rd ''tirthankara'' Parshvanatha. Mahavira was born in the early part of the 6 ...
. Mahapragya tried to depict Mahaveer through his experience and achievements in meditation. ''Sambodhi'' is a rhymic conservation between Lord
Mahaveer Mahavira (Sanskrit: महावीर) also known as Vardhaman, was the 24th ''tirthankara'' (supreme preacher) of Jainism. He was the spiritual successor of the 23rd ''tirthankara'' Parshvanatha. Mahavira was born in the early part of the 6 ...
and the prince-monk Megha Kumar, in which Mahaveer enlightens the later. Mahapragya wrote extensively on the lives and philosophies of Acharya Bhiksu and Acharya Tulsi. Mahapragya made great contributions to Sanskrit through his poetry. He also wrote poems and
bhajan Bhajan refers to any devotional song with a religious theme or spiritual ideas, specifically among Indian religions, in any language. The term bhajanam (Sanskrit: भजनम्) means ''reverence'' and originates from the root word ''bhaj'' ...
s in Hindi. ''Ashruvina, Mukulam'' in Sanskrit and ''Rishabhayana'' in Hindi are some of his poetic creations. Acharya Mahapragya wrote with great clarity. His sentences are short and his style was direct. He only suggested, he never forced his view. He may have asserted his belief, but his language is conscious of relativity even in expression. He often resorted to the passive voice. As one of his translator's once said "Between one full stop and the next sentence, a kingdom can be built".


Views


Stand on religion

Acharya Mahapragya says,
"The religion which does not bring about a change in a man's life, which does not impart peace to him, deserves to be thrown into the river Ganges rather than carried on as burden on one's shoulders. Rituals or idol worship alone are not enough unless one's conduct also gets transformed. Religion is not confined only to temples, mosques, or churches, but extends to the man's day-to-day living as well."
"I believe in that religion which has moral values at its foundation and spirituality at its peak. I don't believe in that religion that doesn't have moral values and spirituality. I accepted that religion which made me physically, mentally, emotionally healthy. Religion is beyond rituals. Religion has the ability to solve our problems if you believe in pure religion."


Influence

P M Modi said:
"Acharya Mahapragya Ji gave the mantra of healthy individual, healthy society, healthy economy: PM Modi" "Acharya Mahapragya Ji used to say that if you leave 'me' and 'mine' then everything will be yours. His mantra, his philosophy was also clearly visible in his life: PM" "As much as Acharya Mahapragya Ji has written about spirituality, with an equally broad vision he wrote on subjects like philosophy, politics, psychology and economic: PM Modi".
''Rashtrakavi'' (National poet) Ram Dhari Singh Dinkar said
"Mahapragya is a Modern Vivekananda. We have not seen Vivekananda, only heard and read about him. But now we can see Vivekananda through his Vision".
Indian
Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
Atal Bihari Vajpayee Atal Bihari Vajpayee (; 25 December 1924 – 16 August 2018) was an Indian politician who served three terms as the 10th prime minister of India, first for a term of 13 days in 1996, then for a period of 13 months fr ...
has often stated:
"I am a lover of Mahapragya’s literature". The Eminent Scholar of Philosophy, Dr. Daya Krishna has recognized Acharya Shri Mahapragya as the most knowledgeable person on the subject of Jain Logic.
The famous Bangla writer Shri Bimal Mitra said:
"I find new truth in Mahapragya’s work. When I read his books, I feel as if I write for the masses and he writes for me. If only I could have met him in the initial stages of my career, my literature would have had a new path to follow".
Dr. A.L. Basham said:
"While meeting Acharya Mahapragya, one gets the thrill of meeting the 'Spiritual Ideal' or the 'Wonder that India was'".


Awards and honours

* Mother Teresa National award of peace by Inter faith Harmony foundation of India in 2005 * Communal harmony award i.e. Sampradayika Sadbhavana Puraskar by Govt. of India in 2004 * Ambassador of Peace (London) by Inter Religions and international federation in 2003 * Lokmaharshi by New Mumbai Municipal corporation in 2003 * Indira Gandhi National Integration award in 2003<>
Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration The Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration is a prestigious award accorded by the Indian National Congress, after Indira Gandhi, a former Prime Minister of India. The award is given annually, starting from 1985, to distinguished persons/ ...
* D.Litt. by Netherland Inter Cultural Open University in 1999 * On the eve of Acharya Mahapragya's 88th birth anniversary all religious dharm guru's of KARNATAKA state honored as "DHARM CHAKRAVARTHI" IN 2007 * In 2008 "SARVA DHARM SAMMELANA" held at TOWN HALL, BANGALORE participated by all religious guru's felicitated Acharya Mahapragya as "VISHVA SHANTHI DOOT"


Death

Acharya Mahapragya died on 9 May 2010 at 2:52 pm(aged 89) in
Sardarshahar Sardarshahar is city located, near Churu city in the Churu district of Rajasthan, India. It is also the seat of the Rajasthan legislative assembly. The city is named after Sardar Singh, Maharaja of Bikaner. It is known for grand Havelis (man ...
, in Churu district, the place where he gained monkhood. Subsequently, Acharya Maha Shraman was chosen the 11th acharya of Jain Terapanth, previously Acharya Mahapragya had made Acharya Shri Mahasharman the Yuvacharya of the Terapanth sect at Gangashahar (
Bikaner Bikaner () is a city in the northwest of the state of Rajasthan, India. It is located northwest of the state capital, Jaipur. Bikaner city is the administrative headquarters of Bikaner District and Bikaner division. Formerly the capital of ...
) in 1997.


See also

* List of religious leaders in 2007 *
List of Jains A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to: People * List (surname) Organizations * List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America * SC Germania List, German rugby unio ...
* Sadhvi Kanakprabha *
Acharya Mahashraman Acharya Mahashraman ( IAST: Ācārya Mahāśramaṇa; born 13 May 1962) is the eleventh Acharya, supreme head of Jain Śvētāmbara Terapanth sect. Mahashraman ji heads all activities functioning under Terapanth organisation, most notably Anu ...


References


External links


Official site of Jain Shwetambar Terapanth
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mahapragya, Acharya 1920 births 2010 deaths Nonviolence advocates People from Jhunjhunu district Indian spiritual writers 20th-century Indian philosophers Indian Jain monks 20th-century Indian Jain writers 20th-century Jain monks 20th-century Indian monks 21st-century Indian Jains 21st-century Jain monks 21st-century Indian monks Śvētāmbara monks