Introducing Arihanta Academy By Parveen Jain

By Parveen Jain

Ācārya Sushil Kumar (Guru Ji) once said: “I firmly believe in the profound impact of spirituality on society’s cultural, social, and political fabric. Only ahiṁsā and peaceful means can provide lasting solutions for human disputes and environmental problems we currently face…. We must create temples of learning by establishing high-quality institution(s) to teach Jain philosophy and promote the esteemed Jain scholarship. This is crucial not only for the flourishment of Jain dharma but for the survival of humanity.”

Motivated by Guru Ji’s statement, a team of technology and business entrepreneurs and renowned scholars of Jain teachings came together in early 2021 to form a comprehensive online educational institution for Jain studies called Arihanta Academy. Arihanta Academy’s vision is to make Jain teachings readily accessible to anyone aspiring to learn their application to daily life or delve into a deeper study of Jain philosophy, history, and anthropology. The teachings are structured for individuals with or without a Jain background.

Beginning as an academy with certificate courses in Jain philosophy and related dharmic, Yogic, and linguistic subjects, the vision for Arihanta Academy is to offer college-level degree-earning courses as the institution marches towards accredited university status in the coming years. While we pursue university accreditation with the appropriate rigor of courses with scholastic richness for higher education, Arihanta Academy will continue to have a channel for junior education.

The wisdom of Lord Tīrthaṅkaras, with ahiṁsā and compassion as the foundation of the Jain spiritual edifice and at the heart of Jain philosophy, is as or more relevant today than when it was revealed millennia ago. The world at large is not acquainted with the treasure of the venerated Jain teachings. Arihanta Academy aims to kindle awareness by democratizing Jain studies worldwide to make this wisdom for wholesome living accessible to everyone.

Arihanta Academy’s curriculum comprises fundamental studies of Jain philosophy as well as the applications of Jain philosophy to all aspects of living. In addition, the institution offers courses on the theory, history, and background of yoga as well as its genuine practice — an essential element of spiritual life and healthy living. The cornerstone of Arihanta Academy’s offerings will be the rigorous teaching of the Jain tradition by experienced and renowned scholars who have excelled in Jain studies and research. There will always be a steadfast emphasis on holistic and genuine Jain studies with no sectarian biases.

The institution will launch on the Mahāvīra Jayanti Day (April 14, 2022) and classes will begin on April 16, 2022. In 2022, we will offer three terms of ten weeks each with eight to ten twenty-hour courses. Each course will comprise ten classes of two hours each to be offered live on either Saturday or Sunday. Each class will be recorded and uploaded on our platform for further learning with on-demand access. We are building our custom learning platform with a state-of-the-art technology. All the details about our vision, plans, courses, faculty, etc. will be available on our website, www.Arihanta-Academy.com that will be unveiled in March 2022.

Founded by Parveen Jain, PhD, a technology entrepreneur and leader; Christopher Miller, PhD, a professor of Jain and Yoga studies; and Dhanesh Kothari, also a technology entrepreneur, and Pramod Patel, a businessman and ardent student and teacher of Shrimad Rajchandra’s teachings, the institution aims to facilitate the application of ancient Jain wisdom to modern living for the betterment of society.

For any further information, please contact Parveen Jain at parveen@arihanta-academy.com