Divinity In Jainism

Author(s): Harisatya Bhattacharya
Publisher: Devendra Printing and Publishing Co Ltd

Page 13

In ancient India the Jaina philosophers too raised objections against the theistic theory of the Nyāya school. They asked; why should we call the earth etc. effects or products ? Even the thinkers of the Nyāya school admit that so far as their substantial essence is concerned, they are eternal. It is true of course that as varying modes, the earth etc are noneternal 1.6., have origin and decay, but this is no reason why we must look upon the earth etc as products of God The soul has varied states and modes; but even the Nyāya philosophers do not call the soul an effect. Then again, if God is a Being who transcends His creations (the earth etc, the effects), how can He act upon the atoms? Seedlings and young plants have a natural origin and growth ; nobody ever thinks of any Intelligence at work behind them Like the western anti-theists, the Jainas too charge the upholders of the theistic doctrine with Anthropomorphism. The Jaina thinker, Prabhachandra says,
" The theists maintain that God as the Creator has knowledge, will to act and active effort; that He need not be an embodied Being. But this is impossible. One who is a disembodied Being cannot have knowledge etc ,--as