________________
3. GOD.
133 holds good of experience, so that a bungling, blundering creator cannot possibly be regarded as an Omniscient God. The perfection of God which must be full in all respects is, thus, incompatible with the notion of a resolving and repenting deity, creating wretched, ignorant weaklings of humanity, and insisting on their offering him the devotion of their bleeding and unconvinced hearts. The true Godhead, therefore, must consist of a Being or Beings, who have risen above the weaknesses
of the passionate, human nature which modern theology - attributes to its Deity.
For the same and similar reasons Divinity can have also nothing to do with what is called the management of the world. To what earthly—or, for the matter of that, even heavenly--purpose can he whose being is the purest expression of holiness of the most exalted 'type constitute himself a manager of the world ? Governorship and holiness, surely, do not go well together, however much a flattering tongue might delight in describing certain kings as holy ; for holiness is not constituted by virtuous deeds, which mark the limit of a householder's dharma (proper conduct), and only begins with sannyasa (renunciation). Hence, no one who has not turned his back on the world--and he who actually governs it cannot be said to have done so--is entitled to be considered holy.
As to God's purpose, it must surely be in the nature of a mare's nest if even with his omnipotence he has not been able to overcome the obstacles in his path by this time ; or the fault must lie with his omniscience if it has failed to warn him that he is thinking of achieving it
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org