Divinity In Jainism

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

Page 49

does a Buddhist worship the Buddha for securing any worldly enjoyments. In the same way, the Jaina religious men also do not pray to God in the hope of satisfying the greedy lusts of the world For worldly things,
he people of the Vedic school worshipped many Gods and Goddesses, the Buddhists also had their Gods and Goddesses for the purpose, and the Jainas also believe in many such deities, great and small. Just as the contemplations of the Brahman and of the Buddha are meant for the self-culture and selfdevelopment of the Vedic and the Buddhist devotees, the worship of God is meant for the self-improvement of the Jainas in the same manner. The Tirthankara does not give any worldly good, He is now in the Siddha-sılā; the Siddhas have no connection with the worldly affairs, accordingly, they are incapable of actively giving, bestowing or doing anything But the reason why the Jainas bow down to the Siddhas, is that such veneration does good to one's own Soul. The Siddhas are the luminous Ideals before us. The contemplation of these Ideals leads the Soul in bondage in the way to its liberation, This is the secret of the Jaina prayer. It is for this that the Jainas reverently utter,