________________
of God, but such a concept is not well defined, and I argue that Jains do believe in God, and that Jainism is in fact theistic both in practice and in theory.
Worship and Ritual: Jainism is Theistic in Practice. A great example of how the concept of the Jina plays into everyday life of the Jain is in the phrase "Jai Jinendra." Jai Jinendra is a ubiquitous Jain salutation that is sure to be heard at any Jain gathering. It literally means, “Hail to the Conqueror of the Senses." When it is said to someone, it pays respects to that person's Jīva as being a potential Jina, or conqueror of the senses. It is a strikingly powerful and meaning salutation compared with its functional analogues, such as "Hello, how are you doing?" Unlike Jai-Jinendra, other greetings tend to engage the surface and temporal aspects of the self.
The Arhats, Siddhas, Ācāryas, Upādhyāyas, and the Sādhus are considered the PañcaParameşthin, or the Five Divinities, or Five Worshipful Ones. The Arhats and Siddhas are God, and the others are well on their way. Paying homage to these Five Divinities makes up the core of the Namaskāra-Mantra, which is by far the most commonly practiced form of worship in Jainism. “This mantra is the first thing that a Jaina learns, always remembers, uses as an incantation, tells on the rosary, and recites on leaving bed, entering the temple, starting worship, going to bed, and when beginning any auspicious activity."5
Along with the Namaskāra-Mantra, there is also a very intricate pūjā that many Jains often partake in. The rice, cloves, water, oil, and various other items all have very significant meaning. Jain temple life is very active. There are often pilgrims staying at the dharmaśālas on the temple grounds. It is common to see Jains prostrate before an icon of a Tirthamkara.
Jain Atheism I initially set out to explore Jain atheism. I quickly discovered that what I was really exploring was Jain theism, but my initial misdirection has helped clarify the current thesis. Finding a definition of atheism, and, related to that, finding a definition of God was more difficult than it should have been. The Encyclopedia of Religion defines atheism as "the doctrine that God does not exist, that belief in the existence of God is a false belief. The word God here refers to a divine being regarded as the independent creator of the world, a being superlatively
5 Jain, Jyoti Prasad. Religion and Culture of the Jains, Bharatiya Jnanpith, New Delhi, 2006, p. 128
STUDY NOTES version 5.0
Page 219 of 273
