Concept of Divinity in Jainism

Author(s): P Ajay Kothari
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

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that not all of them are about God, might, naturally, ask a question such as this. What is it, he will ask, that makes them all religions? Surely, they have something in common? Looking for a common ground, the concept of transcendental truth and being is bound to come to mind. In other words religions may be rightly characterised as ideals of perfection and paths to it. The concept of divinity can significantly be equated with that of perfection, and different religions can be compared meaningfully on this basis. Kothari Ajay Kumar Pukhraj has made this thoughtful move. All religions, to his mind, share the concept of divinity. This is a concept, which, for him, is larger than the idea of God as understood in religions such as Christianity. What Kothari does is to take up the original texts of different Indian religious traditions in order to explore and examine his 'larger' notion of the 'Divine' and its ramifications, in an attempt to delineate its distinct degree to the Banaras Hindu University, but its interest is more than academic. The Prakrit Bharati Academy is happy to present this work to the general reader.
The main focus of the book is on Jainism, which is covered in great detail, more than, one would think, was really necessary for the purpose of depicting the distinctive ideas concerning divinity that it harbours. But the survey will be useful for the general reader. After listing the names of the entire gamut of texts considered as canonical by the (Shvetambar) Jains, Dr. Kothari speaks of the seven fundamental tattvas (substances) accepted in Jain metaphysics. Unlike early Buddhism, which deliberately abstained from philosophical speculations about the nature of reality, Jainism charts a definite ontological map of what exists. Dr. Kothari makes an interesting point concerning Jain metaphysics. He argues that underlying the Jain philosophical concept of the seven basic tattvas, that make up the world, is the ruling idea of