Jain Theism

Author(s): Hemant Shah
Publisher: Hemant Shah

Page 40

Theism, Atheism and Jainism
21
The great pioneer anthropologist Tylor proposed, a belief in spiritual beings' as what he called a minimum definition of religion. This approach can best be summed up in the words of J.A.T. Robinson : "Worship and prayer would seem to be the expression of religion, from an irreligious. '**"The popular religion of India consists in the worship of a personal God through prayer, devotion and dedication." (2) East and West in Religion
Dr. S Radhakrishnan, unquestionably the foremost and most scholarly thinker on the subject of our generation, expresses his views in these words :” There is no reason to believe that there are fundamental differences between the East and West. Human beings are everywhere human and hold the same deepest Values. The differences which are, no doubt, significant, are related to external, temporary social conditions and are alterable with them.""** In his very famous book titled 'East and West in Religion' Dr. Radhakrishnan writes : "The Western mind is rationalistic and ethical, while the Eastern mind is more inclined to inward life and intuitive thinking." Speaking in General term we may say that the dominant feature of Eastern thought in its insistence in certain creative intuition, while the western systems are characterised by a greater adherence to critical intelligence. This basic difference both in approach and in emphasis has resulted into differences in essentials of religion, "A natural consequence of this difference in emphasis is that in the East, religion is more a matter of spiritual culture than scholastic learning. We learn the truth not by criticism and discussion but by deepening life and changing the level of consciousness. God is not the highest form to be known but the highest being to be realized.... Eastern religions lay stress on the patience of spirit and the gentleness of soul which are born not of fear but of strength which refuses to push its way in crowd."61 (a) Indian View
Right from the very early days of ancient period till now, India has passed through the various stages, 'of rise, development and 56. R.B. Lal, Religion in the light of reason and science (1978), 18 57. Dr. S.Radhakrishnan, The present Crisis of Faith (1987) p. 38. 58. Ibid p. 27 59. Dr. S. Radhakrishnan -An Idealist View of life (1932) Ch. IV 60. Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, An Idealist View of Life (1932) Chap. IV 61. Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, East and west in Religion (1933) pp. 52-53.