Vijayanandsuri
Acharya Vijayanandsuri | |
---|---|
File:Vijayanandsuri Muni Atmaramji Jain monk.jpg | |
Official name | Acharya Vijayanand Suri |
Religion | Jainism |
Personal | |
Born | Lehara, Punjab |
April 6, 1837
Died | Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist. Gujranwala, Punjab |
Senior posting | |
Successor | Acharya Vijay Vallabh Suriji |
Religious career | |
Works | Tattva-darshan, Agyana Timira Bhaskara, and Tattva Nirnaya Prāsād |
Initiation | Ānandavijaya (earlier Sant Atmaram) 1876 Ahmedabad by Muni Buddhivijay |
Acharya Vijayanand Suri (1837–1896), also known as Atmaramji of Gujranwala, was the first Swetambar Murtipujaka Jain monk in modern times to receive the title of Acharya.[1][2] He was given the title of Navyug Nirmata (Builder of a new era) by his disciple Vallabhsuri.
Early life
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. He was born on 6 April 1837 CE in Lehara, Punjab. He was born in a Hindu family. His father was an army official of Ranjit Singh. During his time, there was a public dispute between the two groups of Śvētāmbara Jainism, Sthānakavāsī and Murtipujaka. A couple of influential Sthanakavasi monks initiated him in 1853.[2][3]
Ascetic life and legacy
He was initiated at the age of sixteen and was given the name of Atmaramji. Jivanram, his teacher, was an uneducated person. Atmaram began the study of Jain scriptures along with his fellow ascetics. He was later joined by a Yati of Tapa Gaccha lineage. After several years of study, he was convinced that the Sthanakavasi position of opposition of Idol-worshiping contradicted the scriptures.[2] Later in 1876, he was initiated again as a Murtipujaka monk in Ahmedabad by Muni Buddhivijay, also known as Buterayji, of Tapa Gaccha. He was given a new name, Anandvijayji. In 1886, he was conferred the title of Acharya. This was a notable event because since four centuries, there wasn't an ascetic who was conferred with the title of Acharya. He was the first Acharya of contemporary Jain history as till then only Yatis were conferred with the title.[3] In 1893 he was invited to participate in the first ever World religions Parliament at Chicago and since Jain monks do not travel overseas he sent Virchand Gandhi to United States to participate in the World Parliament of Religions. He won silver medal in 1893 at Chicago and was covered by many USA periodicals.[4] He used to give more importance to education. Later Vallabhsuri, his disciple successfully built many schools, hospitals and educational institutes. He died in Gujranwala (now in Pakistan) on 20 May 1896.[3] A memorial shrine dedicated to him was built there.
His monkhood lineage has large number of monks and nuns. Major streams are - Atma-Vallabh Samuday, an ascetic grouping, Prem -Ramchandra Suri and Prem-Bhuvanbhanu Suri Samuday.
See also
References
- ↑ Mangilal Bhutoria, Itihas ki Amar Bel- Oswal, Priyadarshi Prakashan, Calcutta, 1988
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Jainism: The World of Conquerors By Natubhai Shah, 1998 Sussex Academic Press