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JAINISM AND BUDDHISM
goodness, wisdom and power, creating beings whom he knows to be condemned in an over-whelming majority to eternal damnation to hell. What would we think of a father who would send his child into the world, knowing for certain that it would later on commit "voluntarily" a crime that would be punished with life-long imprisonment. Is it conceivable that the same God who orders men to overlook and to forgive every offence, acts himself in quite a different manner, inflicting eternal punishment even after death.”
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Note. The Jain scriptures also teach the same thing that this universe is eternal and no God is the creator of it.
Jnânârnava says:
अनादि निधनः सोऽयं स्वयं सिद्धोप्यनश्वरः । अनीश्वरोऽपि जीवादिपदार्थैः संभृतो भृसम् ॥ ४-११ ॥
Anâdi nidhanah so yam svayam siddho pya nasvarah Aniśvaropi jivâdipadârthaih sambhrito bhrisam 4/11 'This universe is without beginning and end, itself existing, eternal, without being created by God, and full of substances, soul, etc."
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यत्रैते जन्तवः सर्वे नानागतिषु संस्थिताः । उत्पद्यं विपद्यते अर्मपाश वशंगताः ॥ ६-११ ॥
Yatraite jantavah sarve nânâgatisusansthitah Utpadyante vipadyante, karmaþâsa vasamgatâh 6/11
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