Jainism a Theistic Philosophy

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

Page 26

JAINISM: A THEISTIC PHILOSOPHY "GOD IN JAINISM"
of God for explaining the mysteries of life and universe. They depended on logic and reason'."
The conception of God in Jaina and Hindu religion is integrated with the conception of soul (ātman), salvation (mokşa) and supreme soul (Paramātman) form the empirical point of view. God may be seen in Hindu religion as the creator of the world, it is organizer and compassionate towards living being but for the state of transcendentalism God is pure consciousness, height of knowledge and full of bliss; that is the God (Paramātman) of Jaina. When the Hindu religion, for that matter any other religion, reaches the stage of spiritualism-rooted religion from devotion-rooted doctrine it comes near Jainism.33
The very definition of astika and nāstika in Indian philosophy is based on the verse of Manusmrti which readsnāstikovedanindakaḥ i.e. a nāstika is he who despises the Veda. Similarly then Jaina can say- nāstiko Jaināgamanindakaḥ i.e. nāstika is he who despises Jaina Agamas.
Swami Vivekananda, a Vedāntist says that - In the past he who do not believe in God was called nāstika, an atheist, but now a days anyone who does not believe in his soul (ātman) is a real nāstika, an atheist. Jainism believes in soul and also that the soul can reach to the pure and perfect state which is Godhood hence it is theistic religion.
European Religious Committee misunderstood Jainism and quoted that according to Jaina belief, the best, the most of excellent and the most renunciated man alone is the God and compared Jainism with the atheist. Jainas repudiated the statement saying that a man may be advanced and renunciated but unless and until there is a perfect faith, perfect knowledge, and perfect conduct and attributes
32 Dr. N. N. Bhattacharya, “Jain Philosophy”, New Delhi, 1999,P- XII 33 Ibid, P-336 34 Swami Abhilash Das, “Kabir Darshan”,P-133