Jain Theism

Author(s): Hemant Shah
Publisher: Hemant Shah

Page 35

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Jain Theism
excludes the need for Divine Grace or any Divine agency for Liberation and on the other side immensely emphasises solely on the emancipatory self-efforts of an individual to attain perfection by realising the Four Infinites which are the innate characters of every soul.
2.2.3 Exclusion of Divine Grace
Religion is wider than its philosophy. In Fact, we find Theology as well as Mythology as componants of a systematically evolved religion. Divine grace, though more related to theology than philosophy, is one of the common characteristics of theistic religions." Theism means belief in God who. is both immanent and transcendent and is also a Person. God, here, is the object of worship and the goal of our religious aspiration. It is by pleasing God through prayer that we can obtain salvation through His mercy" According to Vedanta Philosophy as explained by Ramanuja," the soul that realizes God is liberated from the body for ever, without any chance of rebirth. We should remember, however, that liberation can not be attained simply by human efforts. God, pleased by devotion, helps the devotee to attain perfect knowledge by removing obstacles. God lifts from bondage and misery the man who flings himself at the mercy of God." We do find in other theistic systems a similar conception of God's mercy upon his devoter God's grace without which, even if human efforts are sincerest, nothing is possible. In Judi-christian as well as Islam the Grace of God or Divine Grace has been accepted. All these concepts subordinate everything before the wish of God and at the same time steer the importance of worship and devotion to please or to win the Love of God. In all these systems one might realise his unity with God or merger in Brahman, but it is so only and only if God's Grace is bestowed upon the individual.
In Jainism, though karmas of man are constantly determining him various ways yet there is in him infinite capacity of power for right action (virya).... It is thus that by an exercise of this power man can overcome all karma and become finally liberated." According to Jainism every soul is" the repository of this indomitable power" which can never prevent him from attaining his highest goal. In Jain conception of emancipation the soul realizes its own Four Infinites, the soul is totally pure and devoid of the karmic Veil. There is, however, no
33. S.C. Chatterjee & D.M. Dutta; An Introduction to Indian Philosophy pp. 420 34. Ibid pp. 427-428
35. S.N. Dasgupta History of Indian Philosophy Vol.II pp. 207.