Book Title: Jainism a Theistic Philosophy
Author(s): Krishna A Gosavi
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

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Page 277
________________ JAINA VIEW OF GOD COMPARED WITH ..... 261 experience, we see separate soul and distinguish one soul from other, are the offspring of Māyā and as such unreal. In the Uñānakānda (knowledge portion) of Veda, Brahma related to the world, characterized by various attributes, is called īśvara or Lower Brahma; and the Brahma whose nature transcends all qualities and fundamental identity of individual soul within itself, is highest Brahma. Devout meditation on īśvara or lower Brahma does not directly lead to final emancipation. However, the soul enlightened by the study of Veda which teaches ‘Tattvamasi “that art thou” that there is no difference between the true self and the highest self (Brahma), obtains at the moment of death immediate final release, i.e. he withdraws altogether from the influence of Māyā and asserts himself in his true nature which is nothing else but the absolute highest Brahma, as per teaching of Šamkara. According to Upanişads the word Brahma is that from which the origin, subsistence and dissolution of this world proceed." Best known among the Vedānta School are those of Šamkara and Rāmānuja. Samkarācārya says, 'which is always Samarūpa (uniform) is 'satya’. The objects of the universe in this phenomenal world are not always uniform. They undergo constant change and modifications. Therefore, it is an appearance and unreal. The ultimate reality is the Brahman. It is one, uniform and constant. Therefore, it is real; satya or the constantly real for all the time. And that is transcendental reality (Paramārthikasatya). God is only reality, infinite, and universe a finite, unreal, an appearance, as Māyā. From the phenomenal (vyāvahārika) point of view, the phenomenal world is real. But from the transcendental (pāramārthika) point of view, the reality of the phenomenal world is unreal. The appearance of the phenomenal world appears to be real due to ignorance (avidyā). * V.R. Gandhi, “The systems of Indian philosophy P-75 'Ibid, P-77 "saskara Bhāsya on Vedānta-sutra, 1.2 "Devendra Muni Shastri, “A source book in Jaina philosophy”, P-530 Jain Education International For Personal & Private Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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