Acharya Sushil Kumarji At The Parliament Of World's Religion Conference Chicago (U.S.A.), September 1993
By : Sadhvi Sadhna
Acharya Sushil kumarji participated very actively in the parliament of World's Religious, which took place after a centuary at Chicago (U.S.A.) from 28th August to 4th September 1993. He was a distinguished invitee to the parliament as well as to its 150-members Assembly of spiritual and religious leaders. Through discussion before small and large groups, through Jain prayer session, through deliberations with other religious leaders and thinkers, and through exchange of views with a world, he made a great impact had supreme religious of humanity.
Acharya Sushil Kumarji came to the parliament after a life-long effort to need to achieve lasting peace only through non-violence. He not only contributed to making Jain religion a religion of humanity, but indeed he spelt out what the region of humanity ought to be. Exactly a year ago he has launched a world-wide movement for non violence at the U.N Earth Summit at Rio de Janiero, Brazil. The Global Forum of parliamentary and later in kyoto (Japan) also recognized the wisdom of his perceptions, his analysis of world situation leaders in its successive sessions at spiritual angle and his advocacy of tackling global environmental crisis with the input of spiritual dimensions which world carry more conviction among both masses as well as intelligentsia.
One hundred years ago, at the first parliament of World's Religious, Swami Vivekanand had made his historic and had brought home to the western audiences with full impact the wisdom of oriental philosophy, the farseeing perceptions inherent in the Hindu view of life, and the need for tolerance, compassion and universal brotherhood. Along with him shri Virjee Ragav Gandhi had made saintillating presentation of Jain religion, culture and way of lie based on the culture of comprehensive non-violence in the word, thought and deed.
A Century later the parliament attracted over 6500 delegates including distinguished representative of many Indian religious, and a big contingent of over 150 delegates of Jain Community resident in India and other parts of the World. The Jain host committee organized a very impressive pavillion at which were displayed books and other literature on Jain religious and philosophy.
Acharya Sushil kumarji went to the parliament not as a individual monk of great world-wide renown, but indeed as an institution unto himself. His institutionalised effort in India and aboard propagating Jainism, non-violence vegetarianism and earth ethics have created a very valuable infrastructure in the from of International Mahavir Jain Mission already accredited to and recognised by U.N. World Fellowship of Religious of 40 years standing, under whose sponsorship six world Religious' Conferences have already been held in India and aboard. International University for non-violence in New Jersey (U.S.A)-already enjoying sister-institution status with the U.N. University for peace. Acharya Muni Sushil Foundation for peace, Vishwa Ahimsa Sangh, Ahimsa Shodh Peeth, Acharya Sushil Viklang Kendra and a host of many other institutions which are doing active work with a constructive ambiance at grass roots involving many devoted social workers, reformers and persons with a religious and spiritual bent of mind. Guruji's daily prayer meetings at the venue of the parliament drew many people because that found that he could with his resonant voice of all tensions and promotion of a feeling of equanimity.
He also given a special honour by being invited to recite the "Namokar Mantra" at the commencement of the spiritual assembly of 150 selected distinguished delegates from all over world who collectively deliberated and adopted a declaration on Global ethics. He was also invited along with other Jain monks to recite the Jain prayer at the concluding session of the parliament held at the Grattc before a public gathering of around 50,000 people. Achrya Sushil Kumarji also spoke at various workshops and seminars on the comprehensive concept of non ecological disaster.
He stressed that non-violence should be recognised universally as a supreme religion, Only then we will be able to fight menance of escalating violence, terrorism and bloodshed, recurring wars and conflicts, and continuing atmosphere of the mistrust, hatred, animosity and conflict. He brought out in his discourses that "Right of life" must be Recognised. Only then human right, animal rights for all living creatures would or could be understood, appreciated, preserved and promoted. Recognition of Right of life flows from sanctity of all life and life forms. As Lord Mahavir used to say that "what man cannot give, he has no right to take it way. He called for a spirit of tolerance and compassion for solution of inter-communal, inter-religious and international problem. All the world succeed only if there is spiritual rejuvenation and wide masses of people once again begin to appreciate the need to strengthen the spiritual orientation.
Acharya Sushil Kumarji was interviewed by BBC, PBS News Network and other international media to speak on the world movement of non-violence for peace & Environment of which he is the founder president, on the Earth Ethics and on universal compassion between human and other living creatures. He constantly spoke about the need for restoring harmonious wrinkles exploitation of natural recourses in land, oceans, rivers, forest, air and space. Altogether his participation had a refreshing impact at the parliament. He spoke with great depth of feeling and vision at the parliament seminar on "Jealousy and hatred among world religious in the special context of Indo-Pakistan relation". He gave a discourse on "science and spirituality and another alone on "Modern World and Ahimsa". Acharyaji's participation was not a single time representation but a part of his on going active efforts to save the Mother Earth from ecological turmoil and environmental degradation with the input of spiritual approach.
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