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JAINISM: A THEISTIC PHILOSOPHY "GOD IN JAINISM"
Dr. N. Vasupal commented "Those who believe God as a creator, sustainer and destroyer of universe, look upon Jainism as an atheistic religion, but Jainism cannot be so called, as such Jainism does not deny the existence of God (Paramātmā).""
Prof. T. G. Kalghatgi observes "we have not to seek God there in the world outside, nor is God to be found in the dark, lonely corner of a temple with doors all shut, He is there within us. He is there with the tiller tilling the ground and path maker braking stones in the sense that each individual soul is to be considered as God, as he is essentially divine in nature. Each soul when it is perfect is God.":110
It is interesting to note here in history of Vedic philosophy, how the concept of God evolved. In the beginning, Vedic Aryans worshipped gods, and it changed to powerful gods and then on to one supreme God who is a creator, sustainer and destroyer of the universe. And this philosophical speculation is given basis for classification of āstika or nāstika by Vedic philosophers. Jainism being the oldest religion of Indian soil, much older than Vedic philosophy brought in India by Aryans, has maintained its original basic concept of God, (Arhat and Siddhas) as their God. But the Vedic philosopher misconstrued Jaina belief that Arhat and Siddha, Jaina's God, as merely gods because creation etc. are not the attributes of the Jaina God, (Paramātmā) and hence classified Jainism in nāstika category. Other scholars who did not understood this and further more misinterpreted it, especially westerner and labeled Jainism as an atheist philosophy. It is very disappointing that even some Jaina scholars supported this classification.
Another interesting point to note here is the evolution of one supreme God, from several gods, who is a creator, sustainer and destroyer of the Universe, which is a Vedic philosophical speculation. However the Jain philosophers, being aware of it, did
1" The Concept of Divinity, Some opinions-2 "Dr. Kalghatgi, T.G., “Jain view of Life", P-210, (APK, P-134)
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