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Celebrating Jain Society of Houston Pratishtha Mahotsav 1995
CONCEPT OF GOD IN JAINISM
By Dr. Pravin Kamdar
The religion world is characterized by a variety of questions and quests: some of them are basic to human existence, as such some of them are of particular importance of communities of faith in the world. To be human is to question, and in response to engage in a variety of questions: for survival, for liberty, for truth, for happiness, and in many cases, for some kind of meaning of life.
supervision? If fire burns and water cools, it's not due to the will of God; it is due to their inherent qualities. These qualities were not bestowed on those substances by God. Can we imagine these substances bereft of these qualities at any time? Therefore, this physical world is ruled by physical law and not by the divine law.
British philosopher Bertrand Russell perceived that philosophy basically deals with three little questions: (1) Where do we come from? (2) Where do we go from here? and (3) What do we do in the meanwhile? Questions regarding the meaning of life have always been an integral part of the humanities. Along the way, people have asked questions about the meaning of individual life as such: Is there a God? Why are we here? Is there personal existence after death?
This, however, does not mean that there is no God. God is only the highest, noblest, and fullest manifestation of the powers which lie latent in souls of men. Human souls themselves attain Godhood or Siddhahood by shedding away all impurities, and are possessed with infinite knowledge, perception and bliss.
There is an interesting connection between asking fundamental questions finding the correct answers. The answers are not simple, and not every one agrees as to which answers are the correct ones. Nevertheless, there are important questions about life. These questions sometimes steam from the intellect, other times arise from emotional experiences that confront each of us, and they are addressed by religions of the world.
These Siddhas are far more above Gods or deities. They can neither be created nor destroyed at anytime. They have conquered once and for all. Their passions cannot be subdued by them again. These Siddhas do not and cannot return our prayers. They do not take the laws in their hands, so they cannot show their devotees any grace or forgiveness; for this grace and forgiveness has no place in the strict law of Karma. How can they, who have completely conquered attachment and aversion, and are equanimous to all, be complacent or angry with anybody?
Jainism is a religion of nonviolence (compassion) and asceticism. Scholars believe that the religion appeared in the present form in India about 2500 years ago. Mahavir (600BC) systematized the Jain Philosophy and established ethical principles based on nonviolence that are being followed by Jains ascetics and laity to this day.
This does not mean that prayer has no place in the Jain scheme of life. By meditating upon the attributes of Siddhas, and by showing respect to them, we simply try to awaken in us the latent potentialities of Godhood. The Siddhas awaken a constant mental association with the realization of Godhood and its qualities. Therefore, it is insisted that even though one may be inclined towards the devotion of Tirthankaras, and may have interest in the scriptures, and may observe self control and penance, Nirvana is far away from Him without selfrealization.
Many popular religions'assert that there is an eternal Lord of the universe, who creates, sustains and destroys it. It is He who sends us misery and happiness. But Jainism does not believe that there is an Eternal God ruling over the universe. If God could be eternal & self-sufficient, we can assume that the universe with all its spiritual and material forces is also eternal and self-sufficient. Substances that are endowed with certain qualities can produce new sets of qualities by the process of permutations and combinations. These substances are independent of any external agency in their functioning and do not obey any superior power. Of what use is the inherent quality of a substance if it works only under God's
Among some contemporary philosophers, the question of life's meaning is itself questioned. To ask "What is the meaning of life?" is sometimes regarded as nonsensical as to ask " What is bigger than the largest thing in the world?" The result will undoubtedly be new questions about and quests for meaning, and possibly the emergence of significant new perspective on what religious meaning is ....!
"Be pure and full of love. Help those who are in worse conditions and serve all those who need your help
(Satya Sai Baba)
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