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THE CONCEPT OF DIVINITY IN JAINISM
The religions of the world differ very widely in their beliefs, faiths, powers of God and divinity regarding good and evil, happiness and misery and account with different degrees of the satisfaction for the existence of sufferings and misery. However all religions generally advocate for the relief of misery and the increase of natural indefinite happiness, believing in living and let living, be truthful, honest, chaste, content, respectful to parents, reverent and obeisant to the spiritual teacher and to the Supreme Divinity.'
Atheism Verses Jainism
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It is sometimes believed that Jainism is atheistic (nastika). The word nastika has been differently interpreted. Panini's Sutra (asti nasti dishtam matih) has interpreted it to mean that he who does not accept paraloka or life after death is a nastika. According to the Nyayakosha ‘A nastika is a person who does not accept the existence of Ishvara.' Manu has said that he who derides the authority of the Vedas does not enter into the concept of theism.
"Atheism, both by etymology and usage, is essentially a negative concept and exists only as an expression of dissent from the positive theistic beliefs. Theism is the belief that all entities in the cosmos, which are known to us through our senses or in
Jain Education International
THE CONCEPT OF DIVINITY IN JAINISM
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