ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 04

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

Page 488

The Arhats and Siddhas are also called Jinas. Jina literally means "conqueror," specifically, conqueror of the senses and the passions. Just to clarify, Jinas are the conquerors, and Jains are the followers of the Jinas.
Jainism has various beings of the heaven and hell realms, such as yakshas and yakshis, that are known as gods, with a lower case "g." But it is God with an uppercase "G" that is the point of contention. If there is a capital "G" God in Jainism, it would be, collectively, the pure and fully realized Arhats and Siddhas. This may not perfectly fit traditional Western concept 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 Jva 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.
VRU
The Arhats, Siddhas, c ryas, Upadhyayas, and the Sadhus are considered the PancaParamesthin, 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 Namaskara-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 Namaskara-Mantra, there is also a very intricate puja 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 dharmashalas on the temple grounds. It is common to see Jains prostrate before an icon of a Tirthankara.
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 powerful, wise, and good." The God of Jainism is superlatively powerful, wise, and good, He has also existed forever. Not only has every soul always existed, but the whole world has always existed. Because the world is uncreated, the God in Jainism cannot be a creator God, but it is for this reason that this definition of atheism and of God render Jainism atheistic.
Of the many different types of atheism, there are two relevant categories for this discussion: practical atheism and theoretical atheism. A theoretical atheist self-consciously and thoughtfully denies the existence of God. A practical atheist believes God exists, but lives as though God does not exist.' It should be added that to live as though God exists does not just imply the nebulous attribute of "being a good person." Surely there are many theoretical atheists who are good people. To live as though God exists would essentially entail, some form of worship, a code of ethics that reflects the belief in God, and a life that is oriented towards God.
5 Jain, Jyoti Prasad. Religion and Culture of the Jains. Bharatiya Jnanpith. New Delhi, 2006. p. 128
Encyclopedia of Religion, pp. 576-585.
7
Thiselton, Anthony C. "Atheism." A Concise Encyclopedia of the Philosophy of Religion. Found on-line at: http://www.enotalone.com/article/5215.html. Oneworld Publications. 2002.
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STUDY NOTES version 4.0