Letter from the Jain Family

Jai Jianndra

Jainism is one of the ancient religions of the world. It began in prehistoric India with Lord abha, and has continued into modern times with Lord Mahavira, the twenty-fourth Tirthankara (or Supreme Leader) of our current time cycle, who expounds the teachings of Jainism. The main principle of Jainism is ahimsa (or nonviolence), and the religion revolves around this principle in many shapes and forms—violence not only in our actions but also in our thoughts and speech. Jainism is not a widespread religion in modern times, partly because its principle of ahimsa makes it difficult to follow in our modern day-to-day lives.

Mahatma Gandhi based his life on the Jain principle of ahimsa. As an example of his practice, he kept his worldly possessions to a bare minimum, because each item was created by some form of violence to another life form. He would use each pencil until he could not hold it in his hand because he knew that each pencil involved cutting a portion of a tree. He also embodied the Jain principle of understanding the point of view of the other person, and accommodating that view as much as possible. He believed in the motto of “Live and Let Live.”

Donald Rubin had a vision of presenting an exhibition of Jain art at the Rubin Museum of Art in New York City. Our family thought it would be a great idea, not only to showcase the ancient Jain art but to bring awareness to the ancient religion and its universal principles. We are proud to help sponsor this exhibition:

Victorious Ones: Jain Images of Perfection.

Now we are at the stage of making the dream become reality. This exhibition will open on September 18, 2009, and remain on view until February 15, 2010, at the Rubin Museum of Art. A fully illustrated catalog, with contributions by major Jain scholars led by Phyllis Granoff, will be published in conjunction with the exhibition.

We are looking forward to viewing the great works of ancient Jain Art and learning more about this peaceful religion. Jains believed in creating beautiful temples, places not only to worship but also to enjoy serene and beautiful spaces. They also believed in creating beautiful works of religious art to place in those temples— some of which we will have the opportunity to see at the Rubin Museum of Art. God bless all who made this possible.

Regards,

Suman Jain with Sital Jain, Bobby and Carola Jain, and Vinny Jain