Jain Theism

Author(s): Hemant Shah
Publisher: Hemant Shah

Page 44

Theism, Atheism and Jainism
25 Religion in Jainism. What we find as the most striking feature is its approach. Jaina religion gives great cmphasis on Ahimsa and Anekānt. Ahimsä (non-injury) relates to day-to-day activity of a house holder as well as ascetic, while Anckänt relates to the approach towards reality. By nature Jainism is Ācārapradhan' and is realistic in the sense that it accepts the objects of the world as real. What is most note-worthy is jain concept of Soul which according to Jainism, in its pure form possesses all the qualities in infinite. The soul in its pure form is God and the embodied soul 'jiva' is an impure soul. The impurity is the layer of karma. Jain religion proves to be a way or path that shows how to remove the dirt or layer of karma which is on soul and thus to make it free from all the bondage and chain of birth and rebirth. For this, what is necessary, according to Jainism, is perfect faith, correct knowledge and right conduct. Thus we find “Jainism as an important, fully developed and well established religious and cultural system, is purely indigenous to India.”74 It is a system with its own metaphysics, epistemology, mythology, ethics, rituals etc. It possesses all the elements to represent itself as religion unique in so many ways. (4) History and Classification History
The Encyclopaedia Britannica says that "there is a point at which the History of Religion becomes in its prominent aspect a History of Religions.'75 As such it has become almost impossible to know the exact time when the belief in a supreme being came first in order of evolution.” Mr. J.G. Frazer regards religion as superposed on an antecedent stage of magic. In the Tree of life, Mr. E. Gawley interprets it by the vital instinct, and connects its first manifestation with the process of the organic life.... The origin of religion, however, can never be determined archeologically or historically.'76 Neither it is necessary nor it is apt here to go into a great details about the evolution and continuous development of religion right from its ancient primitive stage till its development into the modern perspective point of view. We may just make a note that there was a very long period, we may call a long period of darkness - a period of primitive kind of religion providing philosophy, both of man and nature to intellectuals. Existed
74. Dr. J. P. Jain, Religion and Culture of Jains (1977) p. 1 75. Encyclpaedia Britannica (1910) ed. II Vol. XXII p. 62 76. Ibid pp. 62.