$JES 911 Essence of World Religions Reference Book

Author(s): Pravin K Shah
Publisher: JAINA Education Committee

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Essence of World Religions
South Asian (Indian) Religions Summary (Note - All religions may not follow all the aspects listed below) Creation of the Universe
The universe exists in endless cycles of creation, preservation, and destruction. There is no absolute end to the universe. Universe is eternal. There is no duality of God and universe but a unity (God is Universe and Universe is God). Hence every living being and object of the universe is a part of God.
The True God
There is but one true and absolute God or Self. All souls are destined to receive Liberation or God's grace through experience on many paths according to their understanding, temperament, and maturity. God is pure love and consciousness.
Proof of God
Proof of God's existence and His compassion towards all living being exists in the self realization of an individual, which in turn directly communicates with God / Self. The indirect proof is through the enlightened Guru (teacher) and the revealed scriptures.
Knowing of God
Personal, inner and often mystical experience of God / Self is the crux of religion. Man can and ultimately must realize God / Self during earthly life. Knowledge of God / Self is individually oriented and introspective.
Man's Plight
Man's suffering is due to ignorance of his self and of reality. He is forever on a progressive spiritual path which leads from ignorance to knowledge, from death to immortality.
Hell
God is Compassionate and is inextricably one with the soul, guiding it through karma into religion (Dharma) and finally to liberation. Hell is a lower astral realm, it is not eternal. It exists as a period of Karmic suffering.
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