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

Page 185

166
Jain
Theism
explanation about the nature of God as given in his Yogaśāstra. He also gives Haribhadrasuri's Mahadevāstaka, He boldly says, "All the Siddhas who have attained perfection, having no qualitative difference amongst them, there is nothing wrong, if they all, though collectively, are called as one God." (6) Pandit Sukhlalji Sanghavi
Under the auspicious of Śri Sayājirav Gāyakavāda Hon. Lecture series, Pandit Sukhlalji gave five lectures on Indian Philosophy in 1958, which later on came out in a printed form under the title 'Bhāratiya Tattvavidyā.159 This book contains an independent chapter on God (sśvaratattva) through which I wish to highlight Panditji's ideas about Jain theism. First of all, he expresses his view that, there is no group or class of people who in one or the other form, in one or the other name does not accept an element (spirit) higher than himself."!6 Further he says that the belief in God seenis to be quite ancient and so it is grounded even in the common people's mind.161 After a long discussion
God in Şaddarasana, he says that Jainism does not treat God as an independent person: while Madhava, Nyāya and Vaišeşika considers god as an independent person through an incidental cause. (Nimittakāraṇarūpa).
He says that “Jainism believes in the spiritual development, The seed of the entire development is the Jiva or the embodied soul. One who develops this seed fully attains the highest achievement, such souls who have attained the highest spiritual achievement (liberation) being perfect are themselves Gods."162 Thus according to Panditji also Jainism is not a system or religion without God. It has God, worship of the God and thus divine-devotee relationship which make Jainism theistic.
157. "Haşit famiglottoprasta: 1
Teferansefarct gaatsen T: - Yogasastra 158. Vijayendra Surij: Jagat ane Jain-Darsana' (1935), p. 37-38 159. Pt. Sukhlalji Sanghavi,: 'Bhāratiya Tattvavidyā, (p. 103, 1958) 160. Pt. Sukhlalji Sanghavi,: 'Bhāratiya Tattvavidyā, p. 71 161. Ibid., p. 72 162. Ibid., p. 77