Jain Theism

SR No.: 006509
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Hemant Shah
Publisher: Hemant Shah
Publication Year: 1997
Total Pages: 218
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Philosophy, & Religion
File Size: 10 MB

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Jain Theism
does not need to enter into the cycle of births and deaths. This Moksa, once attained, is eternal. 45 He advocates for the worship of the Lord. and says that the main objective of worship is not to please God but to attain purity of the mind and soul.146 The root causes of all the sufferings in Karma are due to attachments and aversions. The worship of the Lord creates vibrations in the soul which inspires on towards spiritual progress. 147 Thus the worship becomes quite meaningful and inevitable. In the same way he finds the image of the Lord a great source of inspiration and thus very much helpful to attain a state of mind to enter into the divine religiousness. Sri Nyāyavijayaji also talks about the divine grace'. He says, “Whatever is, is due to the grace of God. Thus it is also spoken by the lay Jains. But there is nothing wrong in saying so. In fact, such utterings make us more humble and more devotional. Moreover, logically one can argue that the nature of God is such that his if grace alone would have been the cause of happiness, all would have been equally happy. He says, self efforts are also required. The very fact that one is able to have devotion and sincerity towards the Lord and yet tries for the spiritual progress, is itself the grace of God.148 Thus in Sri Nyāyavijayaji's argument we also find a clear theism taking its shape and he also tries to show the theistic elements grounded in the Jain religiousness. (4) Śri Bhadrankaravijayaji
Shri Bhadrakaravijayji has written quite a good number of books on Jain religion. The most striking characteristics of his writing is his deep study of the canonical scriptures, strong theistic faith in Jain path of perfection and bold exposition of the issues relevant in the prevailing circumstances. In his “Jain Mārgani Piccaņa' he devotes a separate chapter on the nature of the Jain God'. Here he describes in detail the conception and nature of the Jain God.149 In the same book he also
145. Nyayavijayaji Muni, 'Jain Darśana', (St. 2020), P. 38 146. Ibid., P. 42
147. Ibid., P. 42 148. Read Nyayavijayaji's 'Jain Darsana' Page 225 to 227 149. “Halalt fettricaletrifft: 1 afratsetaich a talset RH: 118 11
अन्तराया दानलाभभोगवीर्योपभोगगाः । हासो स्त्यती भीतिर्जुगुप्सा शोक एव च ॥२॥ कामो मिथ्यात्वमज्ञानं निंदा चाऽविरतिस्तथाया । . रागो द्वेषश्च नो दोषास्तेषामष्टादशाऽप्पमी ॥३॥ Bhadrankarvijayaji, : 'Jain-Mårgani-Piccaņa' (St. 2033) Read Chapter 7, page 93 to 96 on The Nature of Jain-God