Concept of Divinity in Jainism

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

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tained.” Such a Divine being is Svyambhu. He is all knowledge and bliss and a divinity.97 From eternity the ordinary soul has been indulging in false attachment (raga) and aversion (dvesha) to external things; is ignorant (ajnani) of its own nature, and by reason of its indulgences, it is never at ease. Upon the abandonment of this attachment and aversion the soul becomes calm and tranquil and when completely free from the influence of these unnatural activities, the soul lives its natural life and becomes omniscient, divinity. Jainism does not deny the existence of god but it denies that in godhead there is the quality of creating and ruling other things and beings by punishment and reward. 98 Jainism believes in the concept of ascension (Uttaravada) of man into divinity.99 In Jainism, thus, every man is a potential god, divine. xxx Jain religion believes in god, so far as it does not accept a godhead with the power of creating (shrishti), sustaining (sthiti), destroying (vilaya) of the universe. It accepts the existence of god in the form of pure soul. Schubring observes, “In Jain system there is no place for creator or regulator of the universe”. 100 The Divinity in Jainism does not include among the attributes the quality of creating and regulating the universe as the universe is self-regulated and there is no beginning or an end of the universe.
Pure soul is the supreme divine being. They are in reality one and the same and the final goal of any particular soul is to become pure and perfect. Thus Divinity in Jainism is the attainment of infinite knowledge (ananta jnana), infinite faith (ananta darshana), infinite bliss (ananta sukha) and infinite power (ananta virya). This topic is dealt with elaborately in chapters IV, V and VI.
THE CONCEPT OF DIVINITY IN JAINISM