Jainism Not an Atheisam

Author(s): Herbert Warren
Publisher: Herbert Warren

Page 16

( 12 ) not do anything in the matter of its affairs, how then can Deity be said to be all-powerful ? There are tow consider. ations that may be made in answer to this question ; first, a king who has fought and conquered his enemics and is able to maintain himself from being further molested by them, is called powerful. There is no mightier foe for man than his own passions or lower-self, and he who has .conquered his lower-self completely, in such a way that it can never again molest or trouble him, is the most power. ful kind of man and he may be called all-powerful. The second consideration is the answer to the question, what in scality is power ? In reality whatever is the essential nature of a thing is its power. The essential nature of the 'soul is to know, to have unlimited knowledge, and that is its power. And as knowledge is power, in possessing infinite knowledge he possesses infinite power,
So we have seen that although Jainism does not regard Deity as creator and ruler of the universe, nevertheless Jainism acknowledges Deity and advocates worship. It has been shown that God cannot be regarded as creator without also being regarded as unwise or weak; that the fact of there being system and order in the universe is not inconsistent with the Jain idea of Deity; and that the belief in Deity as our creator not only is unnecessary for a virtuous and divine lifc, but that it positively focds some of the baser passions, such as meat cating and wine drinking, and lust, on the ground that the creator sent these things for the use of his creatures. Thus in defining Deity Jainism does not include among the attributes the quality of being creator and ruler of the world.
Victory to JAINISM AND PEACE TO ALL.