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All the schools of thought except the Cārvākas recognise the existence of gods. See Introduction.
(1869-79) The gods can be directly perceived – This statement also has in a way to be taken on faith and the authority of the scriptures. We find in early works the tendency to identify the sun, moon, etc. with the power supposed to preside over them, though we find passages where a clear distinction is drawn between the two, and the thinker wants to know the true nature of the presiding power as against the outward appearance.
Gods—See Tattvartha-sūtra, IV
Devāś caturņikāyāḥ (1) - Celestial beings are of four groups or classes — bhavanavāsi (residential), vyantara (peripatetic), jyotiska (stellar), vaimānika (heavenly).
Bhavanavāsino' sura-nāga-vidyut-supaiņāgni-vāta-stanitodadhidvīpa-dik-kumā rāḥ (10) Vyantară” kinnara-kimpuruşa-mahoraga-gandharva-yakşarākşasa-bhūta-piśācāḥ (11) Jyotişkāḥ sūryācandramasau graha-nakşatra-prakırnaka-tārakaś
ca (12) — (The sub-classes of stellars are sun, moon, planets, constellations, scattered stars). Meru-prada kşiņā nityagatayo nộloke(13); tatkştah kālavibhāgaḥ(14); bahir avasthitā) (15). [In the human region (i. e. the 23 dvipas), the stellars eternally move round their respective Mount Meru. Divisions of time are caused by these movements of the stellars. The stellars outside the 23 dvipas are fixed ).
Vaimānikāḥ (16); kalpopapannāḥ kalpātītāś ca (17) - (The heavenly beings are of two kinds — kalpopa panna, born in the 16 heavens, and kalpātīta, born beyond the 16 heavens).
(1869-70) Even in Buddhist works we find the belief that gods come down to the human world. See Kathāvatthu, 4. 7.
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