Thousands of Japanese Now Convert to Jainism
Thousands of Japanese are turning to Jainism and following all the rituals as well. Watch our latest new video to learn more about this.
Thousands of Japanese are turning to Jainism. Wrapped in white loin cloth, they chant the navkar mantra, follow dietary self-abnegation, wake up with the sun, consume only warm water meditate for hours in derasars (Jain temple) and dine before the sunsets.Every year, many Jains travel to India to Palitana and Shankeshwar to spend weeks under Jain monks learning about Jainism. How surprising that Jainism has travelled all the way to Japan. Let me tell you how it happened. There are many jains in the small town of Naganoken town. Now there are many japanese living in Osaka & Tokyo that have embraced Jainism.
Churushi Miyazawa came as a traveller in 2005 and she met with Gachadhipati Swargiya Jayantsen Suriswarji Maharaj Saheb, a senior monk. He explained to her the meaning of jainism and fell in love with it. She decided to shed her past, lead a minimalist life. She gave up her comforts and promised to live like a jain.She then changed her name to Tulsi. She said her guru gave her the task to spread Jainism across Japan. Since then she has been travelling to India 4-5 times with hundreds of japanese people who want to embrace jainism. Now many are readying themselves to take up monkhood.
Just a month ago, 2,500 Japanese travelled to Tharad in northern Gujarat and spent a week there to learn to become a monk. Most of them are also learning Hindi. The Japanese follow the eight-day holy festival of Paryushan. Even children follow Paryushan.
