Jain Theism

Author(s): Hemant Shah
Publisher: Hemant Shah

Page 39

Jain Theism
20 of a belief in God as a dispensor of fruits of actions. 2.3 RELIGION : GOD : JAINISM 2.3.1 RELIGION
Let us understand the term 'Religion in its etymological sense. What does the term mean, linguistically ? The word religion has its root in Latin religis" or" religin" "derived from" "relegere' which means to gather together, and religare' which means to bind back, fasten. Relegere meant to gather together, collect, hence to go over a subject again in thought from re and legere," ..... "men were called religions' because they reconsidered carefully and, as it were, went over again in thought all that appertained to the worship of Gods: 50 Max Muller, building on philosophy and mythology affirmed that.'' Religion consists in the perception of the infinite under such manifestations as are able to influence the moral character of manosi Mr. J.G. Frazer Regards religion as, superposed on an antecedent stage of magic. ***? But then these are the thoughts concerned more about the primitive religions. The purpose of the present chapter is to set forth a deeper and wider meaning of the term religion based upon what it means when taken with certain refereneces, inclusive both of primitive religions, and of higher religions. W.K wright in his famous book "A student's philosophy of religion" discusses at full length and concludes: "religion is an endeavour to secure the conservation of socially recognized values through specific action that are believed to evoke some agency different from the ordinary cgo of the individual, or from other mcrely human beings, and that imply a feeling of dependence upon this agency.***} (1) Religion as Worship of God
Many eminent thinkers of the west have defined religion as worship or adoration of God. For example William Tempie defined it as" Religion is not an opinion about God... It is a personal relation with God.*5+ Even Julian Huxley writes,” It is frequently taken for granted that religion is essentially a belief in a god or gods.*?** 50. Encyclpaedia Britannica (1910) Ilth ed. Vol. XXII p. 61. 51. Max Muller, Natural Religion (1899) p. 188 52. Encyclpaedia Britannica (1910) Ilth ed. Vol. XXIII p. 62 53. W.K Wright : a student's philosophy of Religion (1958) p. 42-47 54. R.B. Lal, Religion in the light of reason and science (1978) p. 18 55. Ibid 18.