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Meet 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐬𝐡, the first graduate of our M.A. in Engaged Jain Studies! 👋🎓

Four years ago, this groundbreaking academic program was just an idea. This past spring, we celebrated a milestone that brought that vision to life.

Chaitanya made history as the first student to earn this degree, successfully defending his thesis on the mūlaguṇas, the foundational ethical qualities of Digambara mendicant initiation.

“𝘔𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘥,” he shares. “𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘈𝘳𝘪𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢 𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘵𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘣𝘰𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘷𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘺 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘦, 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦-𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘤 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩, 𝘐 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘑𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥.” ⁣⁣

Chaitanya now plans to spend the coming decades bringing Jain thought into classrooms, interfaith dialogue, and public life.⁣⁣

🎓 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 more about Chaitanya’s experience: arihantainstitute.org/blog/16-meet-the-ma-students-an-interview-with-chaitanya-prakash⁣⁣

🎓 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞 the M.A. Engaged Jain Studies program (PhD coming in Spring 2027), in partnership with Claremont School of Theology (@cst_news): arihantainstitute.org/ma-in-engaged-jain-studies⁣⁣

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𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠—𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐬 𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝.⁣
⁣
Last month, 𝐉𝐚𝐲 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐲 𝐇𝐞𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐭, a graduate student in the 𝐌𝐀 𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐉𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬 program @cst_news Claremont School of Theology, joined the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Whidbey as a speaker during its annual animal blessing.

Drawing from Christianity, Jainism, and eco-spirituality, Jay reflected on the difference between “every human” and “every being” within the congregation’s first principle—bringing their academic study into conversation with their own spiritual path and the community around them.

This is 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐉𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: scholarship that does not remain in the classroom, but informs how we live, how we engage with others, and how we carry our values into the world.

🎓 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭? 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐉𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬.

Applications for 𝐒𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟕 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐀 𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐉𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬 are due 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏. The 𝐏𝐡𝐃 𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐉𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬, also beginning 𝐒𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟕, is accepting applications on a 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐬.

Learn more and apply at 𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐞.𝐨𝐫𝐠.

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Young people today are curious about spirituality, but struggle to find belonging in faith communities.

Join me for an OPEN community course through @cst_news to learn about the spirituality of young people and how we can craft faith spaces where young people can flourish.

Class begins September 2 so register NOW!

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𝐀 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫. 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬. 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐬. 𝐀 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐉𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬. 🍂📚

Fall 2026 is here at Arihanta Institute—and 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐉𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫, 𝐏𝐡𝐃, 𝐕𝐏 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐀𝐟𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐉𝐚𝐢𝐧 & 𝐘𝐨𝐠𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬, welcomes our global community into a new season of learning, scholarship, and connection.

Whether you’re ready to go deeper into Sanskrit and primary texts, explore the Yoga Sūtra, engage contemporary questions in Jain philosophy, veganism, ecology, and social justice, or simply join us for an upcoming public lecture or conversation, there are many ways to learn with us this fall.

✨ 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩 𝐚𝐭 𝐀𝐫𝐢𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐞:
📖 University Sanskrit 1 & 3 — Cogen Bohanec, MA, PhD (starts Aug. 31)
🧘 Yoga Sūtra: The Classical Yoga of Patañjali — Christopher Jain Miller, PhD (starts Sept. 4)
📜 Yogaśāstra of Hemacandra — Christopher Jain Miller, PhD (available Oct. 5)
🌱 Reading Think Like a Vegan with Emilia A. Leese (starts Nov. 2)

𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐀–𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐉𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞:
🐘 Engaged Jainism & Animal Advocacy — Jonathan Dickstein, PhD
🧘🏿‍♂️ Jain Yoga — Christopher Jain Miller, PhD

💎 Two more sessions of the “Engaged Anekāntavāda Speaker Series”

🐮 Three more sessions of the “Voices in Vegan Studies Speaker Series”

💬 Plus public lectures, faculty events, and opportunities to connect with our growing scholarly community

🎓 And a new academic year for our 𝐌𝐀 𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐉𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬, as we continue building the field and look ahead to the launch of our 𝐏𝐡𝐃 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦

Wherever you are in your learning journey, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧—𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐫.
Welcome to Fall 2026. We’re glad you’re here.

🔗 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐬, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐬:

arihantainstitute.org

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@cst_news I am thrilled to share the news that I will be starting Claremont Theology School in the Spring of next year.

My work as an Ifa practitioner has been the central life line for the last 20 years of my life. I studied religion in undergrad and always wanted to continue my education in Religion, but my path took me in a different direction.

As I am an elder in training, this next phase of my education will assist me in developing my practice as an offering to community. My plan is to strengthen my own Ifa work, support my Ifa elders, and build a community of interfaith leaders to support the times we are in. Through this fellowship I’ll be able to study Yoruba, study the odu Ifa, create more sacred objects and build on the scholarship that African Traditional Religions are a huge part of repairing Black folks relationship to ourselves and each other.

I can’t wait to bring you all on this journey with me!

( this image is inside the United Methodist Church in Westwood where the Claremont campus is currently located ).

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I’m teaching an OPEN CLASS this fall semester.

It’s called Young People in Faith Communities.
YOU can enroll for only $200. No application required.

Wednesdays 6-8pm Pacific September 2-December 2. All online through @cst_news. Comment “keep learning” and I’ll DM you the link to register.

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There is something rare about graduate study.

It’s one of the few seasons of life where you’re invited to devote yourself to the questions that genuinely matter to you—to read deeply, think carefully, and pursue research with purpose.

As Dr. Cogen Bohanec reflects on his own graduate experience at his alma mater, he’s reminded that what made those years meaningful wasn’t simply the campus. It was the opportunity to immerse himself in scholarship he cared about.

That same spirit is what defines the 𝐌𝐀 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐡𝐃 𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐉𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬: the opportunity to pursue advanced scholarship with intention, guided by expert faculty and connected to a global community of students—all in a fully online learning environment.

📚 This fall, join Dr. Bohanec for our live University Sanskrit courses beginning the first week of September, or take the next step with the MA or newly launched PhD in Engaged Jain Studies at Claremont School of Theology @cst_news .

Graduate study isn’t about where you are. It’s about what you’re able to become when you dedicate yourself to the work that inspires you.

Applications and enrollment are now open.

#GraduateSchool #Sanskrit #JainStudies #OnlineLearning #HigherEducation

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🌈@tarkajournal has a new issue "On Power" 💪🏽

There are some excellent articles here from scholars and practitioners discussing power in various traditions, and even theorizing power itself.

My article, "From Arhat to Siddha," discusses the power of overcoming one's inner enemies in the Jain Tradition in order to achieve omniscience and, eventually, liberation.

I also situate the discussion within the context of our current polycrises such as climate collapse, animal agriculture, biodiversity loss, violence, and social injustice.

Special thanks to Stephanie Corigliano and Jakob Kyle, as well as to @embodiedphilosophy , for the invitation to contribute to this issue.

#power #jainism #nonviolence #knowledgeispower #engagedjainism

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The Fowler Museum presents an interdisciplinary conversation celebrating a new publication on Jain devotional textiles from India, led by curator Syona Puliady on Saturday, August 1.

Expanding beyond the original 2022 Fowler exhibition, the program brings together scholars Pawan Jain, Venu Mehta, and Aparna Sharma, who explore how richly embroidered Jain shrine hangings function as devotional objects, artistic innovations, and expressions of cultural memory and lived religious practice.

RSVP at the link in bio!

This program and reception are generously presented by the Vardhamana Charitable Foundation and Jain Education Fund Inc., in partnership with Claremont School of Theology, UCLA World Arts and Cultures/Dance (WACD), UCLA Center for the Study of Religion

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Every language opens a new archive. For scholars of religion, German provides access to a rich tradition of scholarship.

This summer, the Center for South Asian Languages (CSAL) at Arihanta Institute, in collaboration with Claremont School of Theology, is offering 𝐆𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧, a graduate seminar taught by Professor Christopher Jain Miller, PhD.

Designed for scholars of religion across traditions, the course equips students with the grammar, vocabulary, and translation skills needed to confidently engage German-language academic and historical sources. Through a unique case study based on Professor Miller’s research into the life of Jain artist Narendra Kumar Jain, students work directly with German newspaper articles, interviews, and archival materials, demonstrating how language proficiency can unlock new perspectives on religion, history, and culture.

Through CSAL, Arihanta Institute is expanding opportunities for students to engage South Asia’s linguistic and intellectual traditions through rigorous language instruction, textual study, and scholarly research.

🔗 LearnMore: arihantainstitute.org/course/LGER8001-

#SouthAsianLanguages #GermanLanguage #ReligiousStudies #EngagedJainStudies

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Make it a summer of learning! This July and August, leaders from the Western Jurisdiction of the UMC will offer a series of Continuing Education Courses for Lay, Clergy, and church leadership teams. These courses range from one to five weeks and will be taught fully online via Zoom. The full course descriptions and registration are available at www.cst.edu/summerce2026

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Loved celebrating the Rev. Dr. Heidi Bolt today at @cst_news. I’m so proud of #DrBeloved #DoubleDocs #DoubleDMin

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