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Essentials of Jaina Philosophy
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one's own mind that is the cause of one's bad desert. This is easily understandable. From this follows the principle that the cause of one's pleasure and pain is one's own karma which is ultimately governed by one's mental states. And the means by which one can make mental states good and wholesome, is the worship of God. By making mental states good and wholesome one can achieve spiritual progress and attain happiness and calmness. Thus, worship of God ultimately leads the devotee to spiritual welfare.
In short, according to the Jainas, God is not the creator of the world. For them, He is a perfected soul. He is absolutely pure. He has destroyed all passions and removed all impurities. As a result of this, He manifests infinite knowledge, infinite vision, infinite bliss and infinite power. This is the reason why he is regarded as God. By meditating on his pure qualities, the Jaina reminds himself daily of the possibility of attaining this highest state. He purifies his mind by the contemplation of the pure and strengthens his heart for the uphill journey to liberation. Worship, for the Jaina, is not seeking for mercy and pardon.
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