Concept of Divinity in Jainism

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

Page 64

of dependent origination. Thus, the concept of creator God has no place in Buddhism, because it cannot allow to contradict the casual nexus operating throughout the phenomenal existences. A Man is potential-divine, Godhead. He is capable of attaining the state of perfection, Nibbana, by his own effort, even without the grace of any superior power. There is no deity in Buddhism who will judge the auspicious and inauspicious actions of man so as to either reward him or punish him accordingly."
Actions done with passion generate a force which causes a man to take another birth so as to reap the consequences of his actions. No one, even Buddha, is exempt from the Kamma.' It is worth noting the following in the Dhammapadalo :
“By oneself alone is evil done, by oneself is one defiled. By oneself is evil avoided by oneself alone is one purified. Purity and impurity depend on oneself. No one can purify another.”
Atthasalini stated, “Depending on this difference in kamma appears the difference in the birth of beings, high and low, base and exalted, happy and miserable. Depending on the differences in kamma appears the difference in the individual features of beings as beautiful and ugly, high-born or low-born, well-built or deformed. Depending on the difference on kamma appears the difference in the worldly conditions of beings as gain and loss, fame and disgrace, blame and praise, happiness and misery.
By kamma the world moves, By kamma men live, And by kamma are beings bound; As by its pin the rolling chariot wheel, By kamma one attains glory and praise, By kamma bondage, ruin, tyranny.
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THE CONCEPT OF DIVINITY IN JAINISM