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JAINA CONCEPT OF GOD IN JAINA THEISM
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(b) Jaina Concept of God, Paramātmā (Theology)
According to tradition, Jainism goes back to the beginning of time and its truth gradually revealed to certain divine men called Tīrthankaras. Its cosmogony postulates a series of cosmic cycles, consisting of utsarpiņī or ages of expansion, and avasarpiņi or ages of contraction, or decay our own present age being one of the latter. During the present period of contraction, twenty-four Tīrthařkaras have appeared from time to time, Rşabha being the first and Mahāvīra the last.“
Rşabhadeva is, then, the founder of the sect for the present cycle; having uttered the truth by the cycle is governed. His name is found in Ķgveda," and the story of his life is told in two of the Purāņas i.e. the Vişnu-purāņaand Bhāgavata-purāņa. In all these scriptures, he is regarded as a great saint. God has been described in ancient Jaina scripture as described here, (as per Jaina Šāstras) that the position of Arhat and Siddha is that of God. This position attained by soul is stated below in detail:”
When a soul goes through a great number of births, and has been assiduously practicing the path of virtue, rectitude and justice according to the teaching of Arhats, and practices the difficult path of twenty virtues, in his last third birth, aspiring to be an Arhat, it becomes fit to attain the position of a Tīrthankara. In course of time such a one is born in a celestial region from where he becomes down and takes his birth in a happy, prosperous, noble and good royal family. Such a being as are to attain the position of Arhat, is born with three kinds of knowledge i.e. Mati, (sensory) Śruta (scriptural) and Avadhi (clairvoyance).
"+Swami Prabavananda, "Spiritual Heritage of India”, 2000, P-155 Rgveda, 6/26/4 & 10/102/6 VisņuPurāņa, 2/1/82 BhagavataPurāna, 5/4/14
Shrimad Vijayanandsuri, (Shri Atmaramji) "Chicago-Praśnottara", 1918, P-97-102
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