ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 03

Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

Page 237

SCHOOL
TIONAL
OF
AIN STUDIES
SELF STUDY IS THE SUPREME AUSTERITY,
स्वाध्याय परम तप
Definitions of God in Jainism
Giving a succinct definition of God in Jainism is no easy task. Here are a variety of attempts from an array of sources:
"God is, in short, the coalescence of this spiritual principle emancipated from the bondages of matter in all its purity, perfection, freedom, and blessedness."
-Encyclopedia of Jainism, p. 2425
"The Jaina idea of God is that of a pure soul possessed of infinite faith, knowledge, bliss, and power."
-Compendium of Jainism, p. 64
"Pure Soul is the supreme divine being. They are in reality one and the same, and the final goal of any particular soul is the attainment of infinite knowledge (ananta-jñāna), infinite faith (ananta-darśana), infinite bliss (ananta-sukha), and infinite power (ananta-virya).
-The Concept of Divinity in Jainism19
A Jain saw me reading the above book and told me that no lay Jains would read a book like that. I thought about what he said, and realized that 99.9% of members of any religion would not read a dense scholarly book on the concept of divinity of their religion. The following quotes from pamphlets that the common Jain would be more likely to read:
"Mundane being (soul) - attachment/aversion = Supreme Soul (God)
Mundane being (soul)-indulgence in sensory objects (passions) = Supreme Soul (God)"
-"The Science of Godhood"20
"All liberated souls are known as God." -ABC's of Jainism 21
...ātmā (soul; self) itself is Paramātmā (Supreme soul or being-God)
-I Myself am Bhagavana 22
19 Kothari, The Concept of Divinity in Jainism. P. 14
20 For reference information contact M.L. Mehta (ISSJS faculty, 2007)
21 ABC's of Jainism, S.L. Jain, 2003
22 Bharill, Hukumchand. / Myself and Bhagvana, Pandit todarmal Smarak Trust, Jaipur, 2005, p.1
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