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JAINISM: A THEISTIC PHILOSOPHY "GOD IN JAINISM"
142.
aspirant receives no Boones, no favours, and no curses from him by way of gifts from the divinity. The aspiring souls pray to him, worship him and meditate on him as an example, as a model, as an ideal that they too might reach the same condition.' But it should not be forgotten that unified, single-minded devotion to Arihanta or Siddhas accumulates in the self the Punya of the highest kind, which, as a natural consequence, brings about material and spiritual benefits. Samantabhadra observes that the adoration of Arihanta deposits great heap of Punya.143He who is devoted to him relishes prosperity, and he who cast aspersions sinks to perdition; in both these Arihanta is astonishingly indifferent. "The aspirant, therefore, should not breathe, in despondency for aloofness of God, (Arihanta & Siddha). Those who are devoted to him are automatically elevated. The ultimate responsibility of emancipating oneself from turmoil's of the world falls upon one's own undivided efforts, upon the integral consecration of energies to the attainment of divine life."
"144
(d)Worship of God Paramātmā in Theism of Jaina
145
Paramātman (God) is the highest, Supreme Being, or also called parameṣthti, who is established in the supreme station." Pt. Sukhlal Sanghvi defines difference between parameṣthins and Jīvas (soul) as, "The difference lies in presence or absence of spiritual development. Those who have attained to spiritual development and have acquired scathe less prowess of the soul are parameṣthins. The Jīvas, tardy in their process of soul, are different from them." There are pañca-parameṣthins viz., Arihanta (omniscient with body), Siddha (omniscient without body), Acarya (Preceptor Leader), Upadhyaya (Preacher) and Sadhu (sage). The pañca
146
147
142 Paramātma-prakāśa, Introduction by A. N. Upadhye, P-36 (EDJ-199) 143 Svayambhustrotra, 58 (EDJ-200)
145
144Dr. K.C. Sogani," Ethical Doctrine in Jainism (EDJ)" (2001), P-200 Svayambhu-stotra-ṭīkā; Jainendra-siddhanta-kośa, Vol. II;
P-22, Dr. P. Ajay Kothari (PAK), "The Concept of Divinity in
Jainism" (2000), P-150
146
Pt. Sukhlal Sanghavi, Essence of Jainism", P-139 (PAK, P-150)
147
Mokṣapahuḍa, 104, (PAK-151)
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