Gurudev Shree Chitrabhanuji |
In 1970 Gurudev Shree Chitrabhanu became the first
Jain Master in 2,500 years to leave India and come
to the West. In those days, such an act was very risky
because of the ancient Jain injunction against
monks crossing water or traveling by vehicle, or by
any other means except barefoot.
At the time, Gurudev was spiritual leader to
hundreds of thousands, in fact, millions of Jains
around India. To understand why such a man might
leave such a position of authoity and security, one
must understand his life and his message.
The Jain philosophy is one of India’s most ancient
schools of thought, scholars often tracing its history
to prehistory times. For the many Jains in both East
and West who have benefited from the teaching, it is
an eternal philosophy of Reverence for all Life and
Relativity in Thinking.
Jain Master in 2,500 years to leave India and come
to the West. In those days, such an act was very risky
because of the ancient Jain injunction against
monks crossing water or traveling by vehicle, or by
any other means except barefoot.
At the time, Gurudev was spiritual leader to
hundreds of thousands, in fact, millions of Jains
around India. To understand why such a man might
leave such a position of authoity and security, one
must understand his life and his message.
The Jain philosophy is one of India’s most ancient
schools of thought, scholars often tracing its history
to prehistory times. For the many Jains in both East
and West who have benefited from the teaching, it is
an eternal philosophy of Reverence for all Life and
Relativity in Thinking.
Welcome to
The Lighthouse Center, Inc.
Founded by Catherine "Chetana" Florida
The Lighthouse Center, Inc.
Founded by Catherine "Chetana" Florida
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Gurudev’s life has been an eventful one, yet always guided by a quest for the spiritual truth. He studied psychology in
Bangalore and was involved in Gandhijis Satyagraha.
At the age of twenty, he became a Jain monk. During his twenty-eight years of monkhood, he spent five years in silence and
meditation, speaking only to his guru. During this time, he went far down the path of purifying his consciousness. He studied
Sanskrit and the various philosophies of India, as well as the rest of the world. He also founded the Divine Knowledge Society
of Bombay, which produces humanitarian and educational assistance to the poor and needy.
His discourses were very popular, often drawing crowds in the tens of thousands to hear his words of wisdom. As a result, he
was invited to attend the Second and Third Spiritual Conferences, held respectively in Geneva in 1970 and Harvard Divinity
School in 1971. It was at this time Gurudev realized that it was time to take this opportunity of sharing the ancient message of
Reverence for All Life and Relativity in Thinking, and so accepted the invitations. This would certainly put his authority and
security at risk. (Remember, after the Original World Parliament of Religions a century ago, Swami Vivekananda and Shree
Virchand Raghavchand Ghandi were greeted in India with garlands of shoes.) Nonetheless, it was time to share a secret too
well kept from a world desperately in need of a more compassionate direction for mankind.
In the west, Gurudev has spoken at many colleges and universities, including Yale, Princeton and Cornell, and worked with
many church groups drug addiction centers and international-minded groups. He was the first to address the United Nations
on Ahimsa and has served as founder-president of World Fellowship of Religions in America. He has many books in print in
India and in the West which have also helped to spread his message. They include The Dynamics of Jain Meditation; The
Psychology of Enlightenment; Meditations on the Seven Energy Centers; Twelve Facets of Reality (all published by Dodd,
Mead) and about ten more in English and twenty in Gujarati and Hindi.
In 1981, by the ocean at San Diego, Gurudev attained the enlightened state of self-awareness, which enabled him to purify
further his own consciousness and life and enhance his present global mission of Reverence for All Life.
Being a world traveler, centers all over the world regard Gurudev as their spiritual advisor: in America, Canada, Europe, Africa,
Asia and India. He is the founder of the Jain Meditation International Center in New York City, in Manhattan, where he has
weekly talks and meditation.
“Jain,” Gurudev explains, “is not a religion or an identity, but has its roots in the Sanskrit verb ‘ji,’ meaning ‘to conquer’.” This
conquest is very much the result of a personal spiritual struggle against our enemies of anger, jealousy, ego and greed.
A “Jina” is one of those enlightened beings who has conquered these inner enemies and thus has seen through the negative
clouds which cause to obstruct our natural state of enlightenment.
Gurudev has through the years helped many come closer to their own true, divine nature, by helping them let go of their own
inner enemies, through meditation. Thus, by his many talks, guidance, communications and consultations, he is helping to
bring about a world full of individuals who realize that compassion for the universe begins with compassion for self. The New
York Times in 1973 wrote, “Chitrabhanu... is no evangelist seeking to convert followers to Jainism.” He encourages them, “to
become strong enough in body, mind and soul to take charge of their own spiritual journey,” and use their energies for self-
realization and for the benefit of all through Ahimsa and Reverence for All Life.
Bangalore and was involved in Gandhijis Satyagraha.
At the age of twenty, he became a Jain monk. During his twenty-eight years of monkhood, he spent five years in silence and
meditation, speaking only to his guru. During this time, he went far down the path of purifying his consciousness. He studied
Sanskrit and the various philosophies of India, as well as the rest of the world. He also founded the Divine Knowledge Society
of Bombay, which produces humanitarian and educational assistance to the poor and needy.
His discourses were very popular, often drawing crowds in the tens of thousands to hear his words of wisdom. As a result, he
was invited to attend the Second and Third Spiritual Conferences, held respectively in Geneva in 1970 and Harvard Divinity
School in 1971. It was at this time Gurudev realized that it was time to take this opportunity of sharing the ancient message of
Reverence for All Life and Relativity in Thinking, and so accepted the invitations. This would certainly put his authority and
security at risk. (Remember, after the Original World Parliament of Religions a century ago, Swami Vivekananda and Shree
Virchand Raghavchand Ghandi were greeted in India with garlands of shoes.) Nonetheless, it was time to share a secret too
well kept from a world desperately in need of a more compassionate direction for mankind.
In the west, Gurudev has spoken at many colleges and universities, including Yale, Princeton and Cornell, and worked with
many church groups drug addiction centers and international-minded groups. He was the first to address the United Nations
on Ahimsa and has served as founder-president of World Fellowship of Religions in America. He has many books in print in
India and in the West which have also helped to spread his message. They include The Dynamics of Jain Meditation; The
Psychology of Enlightenment; Meditations on the Seven Energy Centers; Twelve Facets of Reality (all published by Dodd,
Mead) and about ten more in English and twenty in Gujarati and Hindi.
In 1981, by the ocean at San Diego, Gurudev attained the enlightened state of self-awareness, which enabled him to purify
further his own consciousness and life and enhance his present global mission of Reverence for All Life.
Being a world traveler, centers all over the world regard Gurudev as their spiritual advisor: in America, Canada, Europe, Africa,
Asia and India. He is the founder of the Jain Meditation International Center in New York City, in Manhattan, where he has
weekly talks and meditation.
“Jain,” Gurudev explains, “is not a religion or an identity, but has its roots in the Sanskrit verb ‘ji,’ meaning ‘to conquer’.” This
conquest is very much the result of a personal spiritual struggle against our enemies of anger, jealousy, ego and greed.
A “Jina” is one of those enlightened beings who has conquered these inner enemies and thus has seen through the negative
clouds which cause to obstruct our natural state of enlightenment.
Gurudev has through the years helped many come closer to their own true, divine nature, by helping them let go of their own
inner enemies, through meditation. Thus, by his many talks, guidance, communications and consultations, he is helping to
bring about a world full of individuals who realize that compassion for the universe begins with compassion for self. The New
York Times in 1973 wrote, “Chitrabhanu... is no evangelist seeking to convert followers to Jainism.” He encourages them, “to
become strong enough in body, mind and soul to take charge of their own spiritual journey,” and use their energies for self-
realization and for the benefit of all through Ahimsa and Reverence for All Life.