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Jainism - A Goddess Creativity
(R) in three senses viz. (1) Disbelief in the theory of Karma and the life beyond, (2) Disbelief in God and (3) Disbelief in the ultimate authority of Vedas. It is the second and third sense in which some Hindu thinkers have lebelled Jainism as atheistic, Strictly Speaking, it would be only in the third sense that the Jains may be called atheistic because Jains do not believe in the finality of Vedas. Mahavir's dialogue with his first discriples called "Gandharas" (TUR) shows that the teacher has not totally disclaimed the Vedas, but has tried to explain some of their aspects by putting his own interpretation. So far as the second sense in concerned, it is the Charwak Schoold which would fall within its category because the Charwākas do not believe either in the theory of Karma, or rebirth; Theirs is the total denial of all that cannot be apprehended by senses.
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It is pertinent to note that in the Indian system of philosophical thoughts, Jain thinkers were not the only ones who denied the existence of a Supreme God. Nyaya and Vaisheskika systems were
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