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
that it must at least have room within itself for the three great postulates of God, freedom of will, and immortality of the soul. Besides keeping the theistic conjectures of Indian system of theism the 1-thou' relationship or the relationship between the devotee and the divine or between the 'Bhakta' and 'Bhagavan' must also be observed in the theistic nature. Before we evaluate the Jain theism' let us see the philosophical nature of Jain theism.
8.2. Philosophic Nature of Jain Theism
The philosophic nature of Jain theism might raise a question from the very word 'philosophic' what do I mean by the word philosophic nature? Let me clear that the use of the word philosophic is quite significant as I do not wish to depict the nature in its most general sense in which a lot that is not philosophic may also be included. I wish to highlight those qualities or characteristics which are observed in Jain system as theistic and yet fundamentally related to philosophy of religion e.g.. God, prayer, worship, soul, salvation, path etc.
Let us discuss these theistic elements as are found in Jainism, and constitute, ultimately, what we may call, a philosophic nature of Jain theism.
8.2.1. Jain God
Subjectively speaking religion is consciousness and its main function is transcending man's ordinary empirical self. We very well know, religion being a way of life, a path to reach the goal, it is not one. "Amidst the variedness of religions, it is certainly difficult to pick out the fundamental features which can be found in all religions. The concept of some sort of God as a being superior to the finite beings is, of course, the central doctrine in all forms of religion but differences crop up when we look to the positive contents of this idea of God." If we consider all the religions and their most basic doctrines connected with the theories of God, we could attribute 'power' to god or gods. "God is thus in all religions, essentially a powerful being. Another fundamental characteristic of the God in all religions is that he has the immediate apprehension of all things. A third similar divine feature is the 'omniscience' of God i.e. the fact of his truly knowing all things and phenomena. The last attribute that is ascribed to God in every religion is that he is essentially a being in 'uninterrupted joy'. So, these four infinite power, infinite apprehension, infinite knowledge and