Gems of Jainism

Author(s): Hemant Shah
Publisher: Academy of Philosophy

Page 64

6
REASON AND FAITH IN JAINISM
Introduction:
Whenever we talk or write about Religion or Indian Religion a lot come to our mind, mainly, concerning the meaning of religion, the need for religion and concerning the inter-religious understanding. Life has been seen as all suffering, all pain and all temporary, "To be free from all these is the goal of our efforts, for only in complete freedom can there be perfection. This effort to attain freedom underlies all forms of worship, whether we know it or not'. In fact, We are all striving to reach the same goal: 'Freedom'. With the conception of a perfectly free being, the most essential and the most fundamental conception that comes out is the conception of God. "The embodiment of freedom, the Master of nature, is what we call God. Swami Vivekanand says, "You cannot deny Him. No, because you cannot move or live without the idea of freedom. Whenever there is life, there is this search for freedom and that freedom is the same as God. So, all have one purpose in life: to reach this freedom for perfection." The term 'Religion' could be understood in the etymological sense; which means to gather together. Religion, according to many eminent thinkers of the West is, "worship or adoration of God, "essentially a belief in God or Gods". Or "belief in spiritual beings", "a personal relation with God." etc. The popular religion in India consists of worship of God through prayer, devotion and dedication.