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JAINISM: A THEISTIC PHILOSOPHY "GOD IN JAINISM"
The theism of Jaina differs from the theism of Western and Indian philosophy, but it is not atheism as labeled by misled philosophers and scholars, but it is an alternate theistic philosophy and therefore it is appropriate to call Jainism as theism.
Jainism is a theistic philosophy because it believes that all the pure and perfect souls are Paramātmā (God), which are worshipped in different schools of philosophies in different names. They are to be worshipped by Jainas also. Ācārya Hemacandra says that I worship the one who is free from the attachments, aversion and above from cycle of birth and death whether he may be Brahmā, Vişnu, Siva or Jina.
Difference in name is immaterial since every name at its best connotes the same spiritual perfection. Haribhadra in the Yogadrstisamuccaya remarks that the ultimate truth transcends all states of worldly existence, called nirvāṇa and is essentially and necessarily ‘Single' even then it is designated by different names like Sadāśiva, Parabrahman, Siddhātmā, Tathāgata etc. Not only in the general sense but etymologically also they convey the same meaning. In the Lokatattva-nirņaya he says, “I venerate all those who are free from all vices and filled with all virtues, be they Brahmā, Vişņu, Siva or Jina”. This is further supported by various Jaina thinkers of medieval period as Akalanka, Yogindu, Mānatunga, Hemacandra and many others. So, with this philosophical assumption Jainism is a theism; and not atheism at all.
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