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XXI
· everlasting bliss, and Whose lives, therefore, constitute beacons lights for our guidance in the turbulent sea of Sansāra, thus, are the fittest of worship. Those who regard the Jains as idolators have no idea of the sense in which they worship their twenty-four Gods, nor of the object of devotion. The images of the blessed ones possess three great and priceless virtues which are not to be found in any non-Jaina image of God, and these are
(1) They at once inspire the mind with the fire of self
less Vairāgya ( renunciation), and exclude the idea
of bogging and bargaining with God. (2) They constitute the true ideal and point to the cer
tainty of its attainment, thus removing and destroying doubt each time that the worshipper's eye falls
on them; and (3) They teach us the correct posture for concentration,
moditation and Self-contemplation.
Jain Theory of Logic and Knowledge.
Every religion has a philosophy and metaphysics of its o#n, Jainism is no exception to it. Various writers and thinkers have defined Philosophy from different view--points. . According to the Jains however, Philosophy consists in the voluntary and consistent striving, intelletual and moral, manifest in the removal of kārmic impediments on the way to Right Knowledge, Right Perception and Right Conduct. The aim and object of Philosophy is to enable man to realise spiritual happiness. Jain philosophy is therefore immensely practical. Philosophy must enquire, first, what are the fundamental factors that go to constitute the world, secondly, in what way the man, for whose bonefit Philosophy exists, cognises them, and lastly, how man after knowing them should mould his life so that ho may thereby reach the goal. We shall take the
