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JAINA CONCEPT OF GOD IN JAINA THEISM
177
The Vedic sayings such as “God alone is the creator of all” prove only the monistic theory.
Muniji answered:
This statement of yours is also untrue. If the whole mankind is of one essence and form, then all phenomena such as one being happy and another miserable etc. will become eventually unreal. If this is your problem, then the statement that “the world having been found to be useless, one should avoid and evade it” would be as meaningless as speaking of the fragrance of sky flower. If there is only one essence without a second, there is no such thing as rebirth of souls in this world, which is to be avoided as something useless and abominable.
(9)Another question:98
Evidence proving God to be creator of the world is of the character of inference. One who dispenses fruits to beings according to their actions must be an intelligent judge. Tools such an axe or a saw gradually cut a piece of wood into two under the supervision of an artisan, so do the good or evil consequence of action take effect under the direction of intelligent judge. It can be never said that such tools as an axe and a saw move themselves to cut. This is not the case. By this example it is proved that different souls attain their fruits gradually under the direction of God-just as circular triangular and rectangular villages and towns are the work of an intelligent town-planner. As are pots, etc. exactly so are the earth, mountains, trees, etc. the work of God.
Muniji answered:
The inferential proof by which you establish that God is the creator of the world is not sound as it suffers from the fallacy of taking for granted what is to be proved. The view held by Jains as
98 Muni Ātmārāmajī, Ibid. Q.No. 40, P-62
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