Acharya Tulsi

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Acharya Tulsi
Born 1914
Ladnun, Rajasthan, India
Predecessor Acharya Kalugani
Political movement Anuvrat Movement
Jainism
Jain Prateek Chihna.jpg
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Acharya Tulsi (October 20, 1914-June 23, 1997) was a Jainist Acharya (an ascetic). He was the founder of the Anuvrata and the Jain Vishva Bharti Institute, Ladnun and the author of over one-hundred books. Dr. Radhakrishnan in his "Living with Purpose" included him in the world's 15 great persons. He was given the title "Yuga-Pradhan" in a function officiated by President V.V. Giri in 1971.

He was influential in the development of Acharya Mahapragya and Sadhvi Kanakprabha.

Contents

[edit] Biography

The son of devout Jain traders, Tulsi was born in 1914 in Ladnun, India to Jhumarmal Khatter and Vadana Ji. Acharya Kalugani, the family guru, greatly influenced Tulsi, later recalling: "His divine face fascinated my heart and I used to gaze at him for hours."

Tulsi took his monk's vows at age 11 with remarkable dedication, and by the time he was 16, he had already started attracting acolytes. In 1936, Kalugani nominated Tulsi to be his successor, making him head of Terapanth group.[1] Through his oversight, he initiated more than 776 monks and nuns.

Brief Life History

 Date of Birth     V. S. 1971. Kartik Shukla Dwitiya  
 Place of Birth    Ladnun Marwad Zilla Nagaur  
 Father's Name     Jhoomarmalji 
 Mother's Name     Vandanaji 
 Date Of Diksha    V. S. 1982 Paush Krishna Pachmi, ladnun
 Diksha By         A. Shri. Kaluganiji  

 Appointment as Successor   V. S.1993. Bhadravshukla Tritiya,Gangapur  
 Appointment as Acharya     V. S.1993. Bhadra V. Shukla Navmi.Gangapur  
 Date of Death              23rd June' 1997 at Gangasahar (Rajasthan)  
 Tenure as Acharya          57 years.

[edit] Anuvrat Movement

Anuvrat Slogan - Self constraint is Life

Tulsi realized that the independence of India would be futile unless the national character was developed. On March 2, 1949 he launched the Anuvrat Movement to spearhead this idea (anu (small), vrat (vow)). Conceived in five principles (Truth, Nonviolence, Non-possession, Non-stealing and Celibacy), the Movement was inspired followers to practice purity and self-discipline in their personal lives. By experiencing self-transformation, citizens could move toward a nonviolent socio-political world order. The movement also held to the ideas that Dharma is not merely an instrument of ensuring happiness in the hereafter but is also a means to bring happiness to the present life, that he who was fails to make his present life better is unlikely to achieve happiness in the hereafter, and that the primary aims of Dharma is to purify character (its ritualistic practices are secondary).

The movement continues under the leadership of Acharya Mahapragya.

[edit] Scholarship

Acharya Tulsi and Acharya Mahapragya during Jain Agamas research

In the 1970s, Tulsi began researching, translating and annotating the Jain Agamas.

Tulsi was the first person who sought to rediscover Jain meditation. His work with Acharya Mahapragya led to the Preksha Meditation.

[edit] Institutions

In 1948 Tulsi established the Parmarthik Shikshan Sanstha, a spiritual training centre for female aspirants who wanted to lead the Jain monastic lifestyle.

Tulsi developed the Saman Order around 1980 in an effort to spread the preachings of Jainism worldwide. This order follows the lifestyle of Sadhus and Sadhvis with two exceptions:

  1. They are granted permission to use means of transportation.
  2. They are allowed to take food which is prepared for them.

This order can be termed as the link between the normal households and the Jain monks and nun.

[edit] A Great Wandering Ascetic

Jain Monks and nuns remain under a vow of moving on foot all their life. In Tulsi's lifetime he covered more than 70,000 km.

His major marches included:

In the course of these marches, Tulsi had widespread contact with people and preached to Anuvrat-oriented life and abstinence from alcohol.

[edit] Awards and honours

[edit] Postage Stamp

On 20 October 1998, the vice-president, Krishna Kant, released an Indian commemorative three-rupee postage stamp of Tulsi. Kant said that the Tulsi gave a new and contemporary direction to the high ideals of Jainism.

[edit] Shrines

To keep Tulsi's teachings immortal, followers built a memorial in the village of Todgarh named Mahashila Abhilekh.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  • Jainism: A Pictorial Guide to the Religion of Non-Violence By Kurt Titze, Klaus Bruhn
  1. ^ Marett, Paul (PDF). Jainism Explained. Jain Samaj Europe Publication. http://www.cs.wayne.edu/~manishk/JainismDocuments/JainismExplained.pdf. Retrieved 19 June 2009. 

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