From Religious Books: A scholarly presentation of origin of worship and other rituals in Jainism:

Jain Worship: A Critical View by Dr. Jagdishchandra Jain O Venerable One, you are not great because people associate you with supernatural qualities such as the arrival of heavenly beings, movement in the sky, waiving of fly-whisks and other manifestations of power; such qualities are noticed even among illusionists &endash; those who perform magical feats. You are great since you are free from vices like ignorance and delusion that obscure the real nature of things, and you have been able to eliminate your external and internal impurities. Link to Complete Article

Religion & Society: Certain practices prevalent in Jain society, which are considered 'religious,' may cause the influx of painful karmas:

Religion, Religious Rituals And Society by Shri Babu Lal Jain Vakil At times, it is observed that individuals participate in some religious rites and charities to satisfy their ego, with a desire of fame, or with a passion for future gains. Consequently, they obtain painful karma. Hence to derive a real benefit from religious rites and celebrations, we have to foster the spiritual aspect of religion. Link to Complete Article

Moral Stories: A story about Shrimad Rajchandra; a legendary tale about Ganesh and two episodes from the life of an ancient Indian king:

Magnanimous Heart by Shri Yash Pal Jain An Incident From The Life Of Shrimad Rajchandra Raichandbhai hugged him and said, "The supreme duty of human beings is to help each other in times of trouble." Link to Complete Article

Supreme Worship: An Ancient Indian Tale by Shri Yash Pal Jain . . . talking nicely with one's parents, explaining one's intentions, seeking their advice, fulfilling their dreams and thus keeping them happy is more important than worship, pilgrimage and charity. Link to Complete Article

Two Episodes From The Life Of Raja Bhoj Stories From India's Past by Pandit Daya Chandra Jain Shastri When an individual passes away (his/her eyes are closed), nothing remains; riches, power and all means of comfort become immaterial. Link to Complete Article

Observations & Views: An exemplary true story of social justice:

Social Justice in These Times of Rampant Greed "All my financial advisors advised that there was big money, hundreds of millions of dollars, coming from the insurance company. They said that I was seventy years old and I should take the money and run." Mr. Feuerstein told his advisors, "What will I do with the money? Will I eat more? Will I be better entertained? Am I going to sell out on my ideals over money?" Link to Complete Article

Readers' Questions And Answers:

Question by Ashok Kumar & Ranjana Jain, Corpus Christi,TX: The concept of 'reincarnation' seems to be 'supernatural' to us. Will you explain it from a rational (common sense) point of view? Response by Duli Chandra Jain, Flushing NY * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Question by Hasmukh H. & Nalini Shah, New Philadelphia OH: How can we get rid of various religious literature, pamphlets, magazines, etc., without doing any ASHATANA (disrespect to sacred items)? Response by Navin S. Dedhia, San Jose CA Response by Kishor Shah, London UK

Readers' Comments:

Ashok Kumar & Ranjana Jain, Corpus Christi TX: Studies in Jainism: Primer & Reader 2 have influenced me in a very positive way. Myth has gone. Religion seems more simple and somewhat easier to follow. The Chapter 'Doctrine of Relativism' is very enlightening. Kishor Shah, London UK: As someone who is still a 'student' in Jainism, reading the Jain Study Circular has helped me understand our wonderful faith more than any other book/literature I have read. Dr. Trilok Chandra Jain Shastri, Sterling VA: What is the relationship between NAYAVAAD and SYAADAVAAD? What is the difference between NISHCHAYA NAYA and VYAVAHAAR NAYA? Questions like these have been clearly answered in the article 'Jain Logic: Processing Information Into Knowledge' by Dr. Chandrakant P. Shah, published in the July 1998 issue of the Jain Study Circular. Dr. Shah deserves our appreciation for presenting a detailed and lucid account of NAYAVAAD. I would urge all to read this scholarly and informative article. Various philosophies, eastern as well as western, seek to discover the ultimate truth on the basis of different viewpoints and logic. There are different viewpoints and so are the logics to support them. Dr. Shah has presented Jain logic that is basic and indispensable for a proper understanding of the fundamentals of Jainism. I would request the learned author to write articles presenting other philosophies, Indian as well as western. Comparison between Jain logic and others will also be of interest. Navin S. Dedhia, San Jose CA: I admire the Jain Study Circular for its richness in content in presenting the words of Jainism. I have preserved my copies of all issues of the Circular and have used them to teach at the PAATHASHAALA in San Jose. Dear Readers, We greatly appreciate your interest in the Jain Study Circular. - Directors of JSC