Jainism in the United States explained

Group:American Jains
Pop:150,000
Languages:American English
South Asian Languages
Religions:Jainism

Adherents of Jainism first arrived in the United States in the 20th century. Jain immigration began in earnest in the late 1960s and continues to the present day.

History

In 1893, Virachand Gandhi became the first Jain delegate to visit the United States, representing Jainism in the first ever Parliament of World Religions.[1] As the first practicing Jain to speak publicly in the United States on Jainism, he is a key figure in the history of American Jainism. The first St. Louis Jain temple in the United States was built for the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904. After the fair, the temple moved to Las Vegas and later to Los Angeles. It is now owned by the Jain Center of Southern California. Adherents of Jainism first arrived in the United States in 1944.[2] Jain immigration began in earnest in the late 1960s after the passage of the Immigration Act of 1965. The United States has since become a center of the Jain diaspora.[3]

The first former Jain monastic to travel to the United States, Chitrabhanu, arrived in 1971. He gave several lectures about Jainism at Harvard University and established a Jain center in New York City. The first monk who traveled outside India by use of mechanical means was Acharya Sushil Kumar who arrived in the United States in 1975.[4] He established multiple Jain centers, including International Mahavira Jain Mission popularly known as Siddhachalam. In the 1980s, he and Chitrabhanu inspired the founding of Federation of Jain Associations in North America to support the Jain community in the United States and Canada.

As of 2010 the United States contained the most Jain temples of any country in the Jain diaspora. At least one third of the Jains living outside India live in the United States, numbering close to 150,000. Jain temples in the United States, which numbered 26 as of 2006, frequently incorporate marble and arches in a style reminiscent of Rajasthan architecture. There are almost 100 distinct Jain congregations in the United States.

Many Jains in the United States are professionals.[3] They also frequently volunteer at animal welfare organizations. Many Jains also attend Hindu temples and Hindu events.[5]

Jain sects

According to The Pluralism Project at Harvard University, "Most American Jains agree that the sectarian streams of Jainism that have been significant in India for 2,000 years are fast losing their currency in 20th century America...The sectarian divisions of the Jain tradition have been left behind as Jain Americans concentrate on the difficult task of appropriating the tradition in a new environment." As noted below, many Jain temples in the United States contain images from both the Digambara and Śvētāmbara traditions. Jain conventions and gatherings in America feature teachings from both sects.[6] [7]

Federation of Jain Associations in North America and Siddhachalam

See main article: JAINA. right|thumb|216px|Main temple at Siddhachalam Jain center at New Jersey. Images of the tirthankaras Mahavira, Chandraprabha, Rishabha, Shantinatha and Parshvanatha.The Federation of Jain Associations in North America is an umbrella organization of local American and Canadian Jain congregations to preserve, practice, and promote Jainism and the Jain way of life.[8] Siddhachalam[9] in New Jersey is the first pilgrimage site for Jains outside India, bringing together all Jains in one place for worship, study and reflection.[10]

Jain symbols

See also: Jain symbols. The Federation of Jain Associations in North America uses a modified version of the standard Jain symbol, the Jain emblem. It replaces the swastika with an om because the former is not considered a pious symbol in the western world.[11]

Jain studies

Florida International University hosts the Bhagwan Mahavir Professorship in Jain Studies, the first Jain Studies chair at a North American university. In 2016, the Jain Society and Rice University signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a post-doctoral fellowship in Jain studies.

American Jain centers

The Jain Center of America was the first Jain center in the United States. It opened in New York City in 1982.[12] Since then, over 100 Jain centers and temples have opened in America.[13] Most Jain centers are complexes that include a main temple housing Digambara and Śvētāmbara images, libraries, meeting rooms, guest rooms, and so forth.

Arizona

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Florida

Georgia

Illinois

Indiana

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Missouri

Nevada

New Jersey

New York

North Carolina

Ohio

Oklahoma

Pennsylvania

Tennessee

Texas

Virginia

Washington

Wisconsin

See also

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Jain . Pankaz . Virchand Gandhi, A Gandhi Before Gandhi . A german e-magazine . herenow4u . Pankaz Hingarh . Dr. Bipin Doshi, Priti Shah .
  2. Watts, Tim J. "Religion, Indian American". In Book: Huping Ling. Allan W. Austin. Asian American History and Culture: An Encyclopedia. 17 March 2015. Routledge. 978-1-317-47645-0. 353.
  3. Web site: Jain Immigration.
  4. Book: Samyak . India Beyond Today & Tomorrow: Dialogues on the Future of India and Search for Alternatives . 1993 . Allied Publishers . 978-81-7023-152-3 . en.
  5. Web site: Pathshala: The Next Generation.
  6. Web site: Pujya Sadhviji gives Keynote at Closing of the Jaina Convention | Parmarth Niketan.
  7. Web site: Unity: The American Context. pluralism.org.
  8. Web site: About JAINA. 2012-01-16 .
  9. Web site: Siddhachalam. www.siddhachalam.org.
  10. Web site: About Siddhachalam. Siddhachalam. 2017-10-26. 28 June 2013.
  11. Web site: Jain Symbols . 29 . 2012-03-16 . dead . 31 May 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130531104211/http://www.scribd.com/doc/34262671/26/Jain-Symbols .
  12. Web site: Jain Center of America - JCA New York History.
  13. Web site: Building Temples and Networks. pluralism.org.
  14. Web site: JCNC – Jain Center of Northern California. 11 March 2024.
  15. Web site: Jain Center Of Southern California. jaincenter.org.
  16. Web site: Jain Society of San Diego. Jain Society of San Diego.
  17. Web site: JTLA - Jain Temple of Los Angeles. www.jaintempleofla.org.
  18. Web site: JSOC Committee . JSOC – Jain Samaj Of Colorado . Jainsamajofcolorado.org . 2023-01-29 . 2023-02-09.
  19. Web site: Jain Center of Connecticut. www.jaincenterofconnecticut.org.
  20. Web site: JVB Orlando | Jain Vishwa Bharati Orlando, Florida.
  21. Web site: Tampa Jain Temple. Jain Society Of Tampa Bay: Tampa Jain Temple.
  22. Web site: Home | Jain Society of Central Florida . Jsocf.org . 2023-02-09.
  23. Web site: Jain Center of South Florida USA, Jain Mandir United States of America, Bhagwan Mahavir Idols, Donate. www.jaincentersfl.org.
  24. http://www.jaxjaintemple.org/ Jain Association of North East Florida
  25. Web site: Hindu Temple Society of Augusta. Hindu Temple Society of Augusta.
  26. Web site: Home - JSGA - Liferay. JSGA.
  27. Web site: Jain Society of Metropolitan Chicago | JSMC - index. www.jsmconline.org.
  28. Web site: Hindu Temple of Central Indiana. www.htci.org.
  29. Web site: Hindu Temple & Cultural Center of Kansas City. www.htccofkc.org.
  30. Web site: Jain Temple of Louisville . 2024-01-30 . www.louisvillejains.org . en-US.
  31. Web site: Jain Centers in North America - JAINA-JainLink .
  32. Web site: JSMW – Live and Let Live. 11 March 2024.
  33. Web site: Jain Sangh of New England | Jain Derasar (Temple) Boston. JSNE.
  34. Web site: Home. jcgb.org.
  35. Web site: Welcome to Jain Society of Greater Detroit [JSGD.org]]. www.jsgd.org.
  36. Web site: Bharatiya Temple of Lansing .
  37. Web site: Jain Center of Minnesota. Jain Center of Minnesota.
  38. Web site: Be back soon! . Jcstl.org . 2023-02-09.
  39. Web site: Home Page - Hindu and Jain Temple of Las Vegas. www.hindutemplelv.org.
  40. Web site: JCNJ - Home. jaincenternj.org. 11 March 2024.
  41. Web site: LINK KESAYANGAN SEVEN4D PALING DEPAN DIHATI. 18 November 2023. 11 March 2024.
  42. Web site: The Jain Sangh. The Jain Sangh.
  43. Web site: Jain Vishwa Bharati of North America | JVBNA – Center for Peace and Meditation. 11 March 2024.
  44. Web site: Hindu Cultural Society of Western New York | HCS WNY. 11 March 2024.
  45. Web site: hindusamajtemple.com |. 11 March 2024.
  46. Web site: Our Deities | Hindu Temple and Cultural Center.
  47. Web site: Jain Samaj of Long Island – Not for Profit organization registered under IRS section 501C. 11 March 2024.
  48. Web site: Jain Temple of New York – 271-09 80th Ave, New Hyde Park, NY 11040 | (718) 470-0000 | info@jaintempleny.org. 11 March 2024.
  49. Web site: Jain Center of Greater Charlotte. www.jaincenterus.org.
  50. https://www.hsnconline.org/ Jain Study Center of N. Carolina
  51. Web site: JCOCO | Jain Center Of Central Ohio. jaincentercolumbus.org.
  52. Web site: Jain Center of Cincinnati Dayton. www.jccinday.com.
  53. Web site: Jain Society Of Greater Cleveland – JSGC. 11 March 2024.
  54. Web site: Hindu Temple of Toledo. hindutempleoftoledo.org.
  55. Web site: Tulsajainsangh.org. Tulsajainsangh.org.
  56. Web site: HTS. www.hindutemple-lehighvalley.org.
  57. Web site: Hindu American Religious Institute. www.haritemple.org.
  58. Web site: Hindu Jain Temple - Home. Hindu Jain Temple.
  59. Web site: Samarpan Hindu Temple. 11 March 2024.
  60. Web site: TN - Jain Society of Middle Tennessee - JAINA-JainLink .
  61. Web site: Jain Center of Houston. JSH.
  62. Web site: JSNT. www.dfwjains.org.
  63. Web site: Home. austinjainsangh.org.
  64. Web site: Jain Society of Central Virginia – Jain Society of Central Virginia. 11 March 2024.
  65. Web site: Home. Jain Temple.
  66. Web site: Jain Society Of Seattle – Samyak‑Darshan‑Gyan‑Charitrani Mokshamargah. 11 March 2024.
  67. Web site: Jain | Seattle | Jain Center of Washington State - JCOWS. pjcows.
  68. Web site: Jain Temple of Wisconsin. Jain Temple of Wisconsin.

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