Jainism Some Essays

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

Page 88

Bhaktimārge and Jainism
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nothing but an another version of non-Jaina element of divine grace. No explanation is available of this which satisfies the theory of the Law of Karman as formulated in Jainism. Persistent request to Tirthankara to shower his favour on the devotee as found in the Jaina panegyrics reveals the impact of the non-Jaina cult of devotion because according to Jainism, Tirtharkaras are never in the habit of showing partiality to any one.
Buddhism also lays stress on one's own effort and the Karmic law. Inspite of this, Buddhism is also influenced by the non-Jaina cult of devotion so far as this element of divine grace is concerned. Lalita vistara, a Buddhist work, refers to an event that happiness and quiet prevailed in a hell, named Avici, at the time of Buddha's birth, while in Saddharmapundarika, another Buddhist work, we find a mention that Avalokitesvara himself has gone to Avici to remove the miseries of the hellish beings. About Jesus Christ also, such statements are found.
In order to show sach divine grace, mercy or favour, God often takes births. according 10 the cult of devotion. in various forms technincally called "incarnations". But according to Jainism, a being that has become a Siddha, a liberated one, has no reason to be born again and again Despite this main fact, the Jaina poets and mystic writers of panegyrics have piayed, under the influence of the non-Jaina cult of devotion, to Tirtharkaras to take birth on the earth as follows:
"मैं तुमको इत थापतु हौं प्रभु, भक्ति समेत हिये हरखाई । हे करूणाधनधारक देव,
इहें अब तिष्ठहू शीघ्रहि आई (जिनवाणी संग्रह पृ० ३३३) "ॐ ह्रीं श्री वर्धमान जिनेन्द्र ! अत्र अवतर अवतर । संवौषट् । ॐ ह्रीं श्रीवर्धमान जिनेन्द्र ! अत्र तिष्ठ तिष्ठ। ठः ठः। ॐ ह्रीं श्री वर्धमानजिनेन्द्र ! अत्र मम सन्निहितो भव भव वषट् ।" (जिनवाणी संग्रह पृ० ३३३)
Many a Jain writers introduced in their writings such elements of the cult of devotion as the divine favour etc. and have composed prayers to Tirthankaras on this patern According to the tenets of Jainism, the wrong done by such misdeeds as the injury to living beings (Himsā) can be nullified by expiation or penitence ctc. etc. In the face of this, a Jaina poet sings as follows:
"जो प्रमादवशि होय विराधे जीव घने रे । तिनको जो अपराध भयो मेरे अध ढेरे। सो सब झूठो होउ जगन्पतिके परसादै । जा परसाद से मिले सर्व सुख दुःख न लाधे ।"
(जिनवाणी संग्रह, पृ. ५०६)