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Early Life
Acharya Mahapragya was born to Tola Ram Choraria and Baluji in
the small village of Tamkor in the Jhunjhunu district in Rajasthan on 14June 1920
in a Jain Shwetambar Terapanthi family. His early name was Nathmal. He lost his father when he was just two and half months old.
There was no formal school in Tamkor village in those days and he didn't get any formal
education. Mahapragya's mother was a religious lady and in regular touch with Jain monks.
Nathmal got lessons on Jain philosophy from monks who visited the village.
On 29 January 1931, Nathmal became a monk at the age of ten. Acharya Kalugani, eighth Acharya of Jain
Swetambar Terapanth, initiated Nathmal to monkhood in the town of Sardarsahar
(Rajasthan). With this, Nathmal became Muni Nathmal. Acharya Kalugani
arranged for Muni Nathmal's studies under Muni Tulsi's classes, who later became
Ninth Acharya. Nathmal started getting lessons in the monastery on various
subjects of Jain philosophy
Muni Nathmal education at the monastery included history, philosophy, logic,
grammar . He made an in- depth study of Jain scriptures became a scholar of Jain Agamas and a critic
of Indian and western philosophy. By age 22, he was competent in Hindi,
Sanskrit, Prakrit and Rajasthani languages and literature. In
Sanskrit. and also study physics, biology, ayurved, politics, economics, and sociology.
Anuvrat movement
Anuvrat movement was launched on 2 March 1949 by Acharya
Tulsi the head of Jain Shwetambra Terapanth at that time. Mahapragya played an instrumental role in the Anuvrat movement.
Acharya Shri Tulsi nominated Muni Nathmal as the Secretary (Nikaya Sachiv) of
Terapanth in 1965 at Hissar Harayana after being Group leader (Agraganya) for
almost 21 years
Research work in Jain Agamas
Acharya Tulsi and Mahapragya decided to start research, translation and annotation of the Jain
Agamas. The work started in 1955 in Ujjain under the leadership of Acharya
Tulsi with Mahapragya being the editorial director. Acharya Tulsi, Mahapragya and other intellectual monk and nuns began to
facilitate the permanent preservation of many thousand years old canonical
scriptures. Mahapragya edited and critically annotated the agamas.
The original text of the thirty-two Agam scriptures was determined and their Hindi translation also completed,
working day and night for many years continuously
Preksha Meditation
After comleting research work Mahapragya started dedicating more
time for meditation practices. He made a deep research of Jain Aagam,
ancient scriptures, Yoga science, Biology, Modern Physics, Naturopathy,
Ayurveda, etc. After a deep practice for over 20 years, he formulated Preksha
Meditation system in 1970 . He formulated the meditation system in a very
well organized, scientific way. The basic four wings of the meditation system
can be summarized as - Meditation, Yogasana and Pranaayam, Mantra and therapy. .
Title of
Acharya
Acharya Tulsi honoring Muni Nathmal with title "Mahapragya" on 12 November
1978. On 4th February 1979, Mahapragya was converted into his new name by Acharya Tulsi and he
was made ‘Yuvacharya’, successor designate to the present Acharya.
In a mammoth public meeting on 18th February 1994, Acharya Tulsi declared that
Mahapragya would now have the title of ‘Acharya’ Subsequently, on 5th February 1995,
Mahapragya was formally consecrated as the 10th Acharya – the supreme head – of
Terapanth religious order in a big public meeting in Delhi.
Writing
Acharya Mahapragya has written more than two hundred books in Hindi,
Sanskrit, Prakrit, and Rajasthani languages. Topics include intense and indepth
contents on meditations, mind, human psyche and its traits, root of emotions,
manifestation of emotions through human behaviour, Mantra saadhana, Yog saadhna,
Anekaant, Non violence, and Jain history. He also wrote many books on Preksha Meditation.
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