Jain Center of America (JCA) recently hosted an intensive three day JAIN Academic Lecture Series at Shri Siddhachalam Jain Tirth from Friday - June 28, 2013 to Sunday - June 30, 2013 . There were more than 65 participants of all age groups for this academic lecture series and it was a wonderful, one of a kind learning opportunity for both young adults and parents to learn about the core tenets of this great philosophy.

This biennial event started in 1981 has become a unique socio-religious event for the entire Jain community of North America. Our Jain Monks, Bhattaraks, Scholars, and Dignitaries from all over graced the occasion. The 17th JAINA Biennial Convention will take place in Novi, MI - a suburb of Detroit in Partnership with Jain Society of Greater Detroit in July 2013. The Theme for the 2013 Convention is “Jainism - The Global Impact”. All the Jains are requested to mark their calendars from July 4 - 7, 2013.

The topics of study had been thoughtfully chosen to dive deeply and clarify many common questions about Jain philosophy with simultaneous sessions in English & Hindi.

The English Sessions were led by Jeffery D. Long, Professor of Religion and Asian Studies at Elizabethtown College, in Pennsylvania. Prof. Long received his Ph.D. in the philosophy of religions from the University of Chicago Divinity School in the year 2000. His Ph.D. thesis was on Plurality and Relativity – the Jain Principle of Anekantavad. He is also the author of one of the top selling books on Jainism on Amazon.com - Jainism: An Introduction. He recently delivered the Keynote Address at "Jain Anekantvad and Pluralism Across the Dharma Traditions: A Panel Discussion" held at Claremont Lincoln University, CA.

The Hindi Sessions were conducted by Pandit Mahesh Kumar, who was Head Lecturer at Shri Jain Shraman Sanskriti Sansthan, Jaipur, India. Panditji has conducted several similar sessions in cities across India, in Thailand, as well as many cities in the USA including New York, San Francisco, Atlanta, Boston and the 2013 JAINA Convention in Detroit.

Both scholars discussed the following three topics in detail which are some of the most central concepts of Jainism. Detailed lecture materials in binders were provided to the attendees.

a)     Karma and Its Importance in the Jain Path

b)    Anekantavad - The Jain Philosophy of the Diversity of Worldviews

c)     Living a Jain Way of Life in today’s world