Jainism a Theistic Philosophy

Author(s): Krishna A Gosavi
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 23

INTRODUCTION
Jainas cherish God in-man concept rather than in-apart.“Man can, if he so chooses, becomes God in this very life because his soul has potentials to evolve in such a supreme status. Ignorance, passions and infirmities exist in mind, and if mind is purified the individual is fit to the pathway of supreme state. In Jaina philosophy, the Pañca-paramesthins, the five categories of paragons, take the place of God. There is no God apart from pure soul. Hence, Jainas adore Gods that are in living form before our own eyes, not a hypothetical or a speculative idea of God; and so the Tīrthankara, who attained Kevala-jñāna with their own effort, were personified as God. Jainas, also worship idols with flowers and offer bhogas. Hence Jainism as a religion is not without God, but the Pañcaparameșthins have taken the very place of God in Jainism.
So for all practical purposes, Jainas accept pure souls as Arihanta and Siddhas which are for them God and hence Jainism is a theist religion.
Jainism believes that soul is divine and almighty. If welldirected efforts are undertaken a soul can well assert and establish its divinity, and divinity is not apart but within the being. Advaita Vedānta?“ of Saṁkarācārya professing a similar one idea was charged of atheism and was called “a prachhannabauddha”. Similar idea was later beautifully given exposition by Swami Vivekananda.
All Tīrthankaras have attained Mokşa, a state of perfect bliss. They neither care for, nor have any influence on worldly affair; but, yet they are regarded by Jainas as 'Gods' and are worshipped.
Dr. C. N. Mishra, in his classification of Indian Philosophy stated that, though Brāhmanic scholars have classified Buddhist and Jaina philosophies as atheistic philosophies, in the past scholars of
2 Dr. S.V. Atre, “Philosophy of Mahāvīra: A critical study, A Ph. D.
Thesis, University of Poona, 1982,P-79 LOC. D. Sharma, A Critical Survey of Indian Philosophy,