Jaina Philosophy and Religion

SR No.: 001604
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Nyayavijay
Publisher: B L Institute of Indology
Publication Year: 1998
Total Pages: 500
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Philosophy, & Epistemology
File Size: 12 MB

Page 447

CHAPTER 6
NON-SECTARIAN AND LIBERAL OUTLOOK
The great Jaina spiritual teachers of ancient times have composed great many works to elucidate the principles of Jaina religion and philosophy. Therein they have mainly kept the object of the welfare of all people before them, while impartially and honestly expounding Reality and Truth. In the original Jaina canonical works one notices the great currents of pure equanimity and equability. Even the works composed by the later Jaina teachers are not less important, in this respect. Take, for example, Šāstravārtāsamuccaya by Acārya Haribhadra. Therein one finds that great author saint's noble qualities of equanimity and universal love. We cannot help quoting some excerpts illustrating these qualities, though, we know, this is not the place to quote them.
In the third section (stabaka), after having logically established the Jaina doctrine that God is not the creator of the world, the author writes as follows:
tataś ceśvarakartytvavādo'yam yujyate param/ samyagnyāyāvirodhena yathā"huḥ śuddhabuddhayaḥ //10// żśvarah paramātmaiva taduktavratasevanāt/ yato muktis tatas tasyāḥ kartā syād gunabhāvataḥ //11// tadanāsevanäd eva yat samsāro'pi tattvataḥ / tena tasyāpi kartytuam kalpyamānam na dușyati //12// Meaning: Even the view that God is the world-creator can be estab lished by adducing in its favour the argument of the following type. None but the Supreme Soul who is completely free from attachment, aversion and infatuation, perfectly non-attached and omniscient, is God. By following the path of spiritual welfare propounded by him, one can attain liberation. So, secondarily he can be called liberator. And by not following it one has to wander in the transmigratory existence.