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reality. From the platform of Jains, I prove the non-creative aspect of God and from that of Ramanuja the creative aspect. As a matter of fact we are thinking of the Unthinkable, describing the indescribable, seeking to know the Unknown and that is why our speech falters, is inadequate and even often contradictory. "49
The concept of Avatar as explained by Rajchandra and accepted by Gandhi is, “Avatar is a human being with extraordinary power and some specific role and responsibility while a Jina/ Arihanta and Tirthankara is the elevation of a human being through self sacrifice (all actions with detachment) and elevated to the highest state of existence i.e. pure soul or Godhood with no attachment (Vitaraga), omniscient (Sarvagya) and delivers sermons of spiritual beneficence to all (Hitopadesh) and attains liberations ultimately." When asked pointedly about the difference between theism of the Gita and Jain doctrine that there is no God”, Gandhi answered':
I have never seen any difference between the Jain doctrine and the general Vedic doctrine. The difference is only one of point of view." He then went on to explain how the point of view was different, The Gita, he wrote, "is a poem", and "the conversation between Lord Krishna and Arjun is imaginary"; this imaginative way of writing was not "inappropriate or untruthful,” however Jainism, on the other hand, "stated the truth logically unpoetically" in declaring there was no God. When one went to the root of things, Jainism and the Gita both expressed the same truth, that religion is the individual's effort to achieve freedom from attachment; only the medium for expressing the Truth was different.
e. Truth Satya: Jain definition of Sat (Being, essence or truth): All beings or existents are real." Reality itself is multiple, with broad grouping as sentient and insentient beings or as Jiva (Living
Gandhi & Jainism
Pg. 143
