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Introduction to Jainism
Mīmāmsā schools of Hindu philosophy, Jainism rejects the doctrine of the creator of the universe and also the theory of creation. Like the UttaraMīmāṁsā, Jainism considers the world as a product of evolution." Jainism resembles the Pūrva-Mīmāṁsā in emphasising the potency of karma78, and resembles the Vedānta (Uttara-Mīmāṁsā) in maintaining that every individual soul (jīva) is potentially a parmātman.79 The ātmavāda of Jainism, 'though different from the Upanișadic view',So is close to the spirit of the Vedānta. 81
But Jainism has its peculiarities as well. It differs from the Samkhya and the Yoga in the methods of realising salvation.82 According to Hinduism, Jainism is heretical because it denies the authority of the Vedas. 83 The Jaina doctrine of non-violence is opposed to Vedic ritualism. 84 The Jaina and the Hindu conceptions of God are fundamentally different. 85 Like the Sāṁkhya and the Yoga, Jainism believes in the dualism of matter and soul, but these metaphysical principles are worked out on different lines in this religion. The Sāmkhya School of philosophy has adopted Brāhmaṇical modes of thought, but Jainism which is non-Brāhmanical, has adopted animistic ideas.86 The canons of Hinduism and Jainism are different. The Jainas do not believe in Hindu funeral rites; they also do not venerate sacred places of the Hindus.87
76. CUHI, I. pp. 186-7. 77. Ibid., p. 190. 78. Ibid. 79. Ibid. 80. ERE, II, p. 801. 81. ROAI, p. 131. 82. ERE, VII, p. 465. 83. Ibid., p. 465. 84. CUHI, I. p. 191. 85. ACHI, p. 108. 86. ERE, VII, p. 465 fn. 2. 87. JI, p. 2.
