Jainism Some Essays

Author(s): A S Gopani
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

Page 85

781
Jainism
as hypotheasized in the Sānkhya system of philosophy. He has nothing to do for the worldly beings. On account of this, his favour or his frown are meaningless in one's having a rise or fall, If a being wants to derive any advantage from a Siddha, he can have it through contemplation of his Siddhahood in the form of uncovering his own real nature of Siddha and as a final consummation of this, he himself can become a Siddha in course of time. Thus a being who has become a Siddha can become the instrumental cause of our development, he himself remaining a neutral.
(5) Devotion also is one of the means : The aim of a being is emancipation. His whole effort is directed at this. The means of Emancipation are Knowledge and Conduct in short. They are diversified into Vision or Faith, Knowledge and Conduct to which sometimes penance is also added. Faith gets strengthened by devotion. This is why it has been given a legitimate place in the programme of realization as chalked out in Jainism when it is done especially in the form of service to the elderly people or in the form of panegyrics regarding the merits and qualities of the Tirthankaras and Siddhas, contemplation and worship.
A comparision of the basic principles of the cult of devotion with the above-mentioned ones of Jainism will make it obvious that the former have no place in Jainism. Despite this, the Jaina panegyrics and laudatory stanzas are suffused with devotional fervour. Let us now take up this point.
(1)
The Bhagavān is the Superlord
The fact that the revered Bhagavān is the Lord of all beings lies at the root of the fundamental principle of the cult of devotion. This worldly existence is the auspicious creation of God and therefore, he is the lord of whole world. He is the supreme ruler of all the things of this world, animate and inanimate. According to this principle, the devotee considers himself the servant of God whether he is in this world or out of it. As has been suggested before, this tenet has no place in Jainism. Though it is so, the Jainas have not remained unaffected by the cult of devotion that has spread far and vide. Inspite of the fact that Jainism does not look with favour at the idea that the Tirthankaras are the creators and rulers of this world, the Jaina Ācāryas have, in the panegyrics about the Tirthankaras, referred to their extraordinary power of lordship and also to the lowly position of servant which the devotees have. Not only this, but they have also prayed to give them shelter.
Amongst the Jainas, Jinasen's Jinasahasranāmastotra and Hemacandra's Arhannāmasamuccayastotra enjoy the same position which the Vişnusahas