Jainism a Theistic Philosophy

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

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JAINISM: A THEISTIC PHILOSOPHY “GOD IN JAINISM”
Another misrepresentation is by Dr. A.N. Lahiri of Calcutta University who said “Jaina, however, were not at all in favour of calling Pārśva and Mahāvīra, the founder of their faith, which for the sake of respectability, had to be declared as eternal.” 18
A similarity, to the above quote, Chandralekha Singh and Prem Nath in their book “The religion of world” quoted Pārsvanātha, the real founder of Jainism."
From the above mentioned misunderstanding or misrepresentation by scholars or authors of their books, it is quite clear that they have read here and there books on Jainism and copied the same in their writing without going in depth studies in Jainism. The said practice is still being continued till date.
Mrs. Sinclair Stevenson, in her book “The Heart of Jainism, which has been widely circulated and read by most of the scholars, said that “Brāhmanic ascetic had to pass through four stages but once the door of asceticism was forced upon by rebel like Jaina, it was opened widely as possible...” Secondly Mrs. Stevenson described that the heart of Jainism as being "empty” of divine power, betrays her missionary malice. She quoted in the last chapter of the book, “The more one studies Jainism, the more one is struck with the pathos of its empty heart. The Jains believe strongly in duty of forgiving others, and yet have no hope of forgiveness from a higher power for themselves”40 Mrs. Sinclair Stevenson lived, quite a sometime in India and studied Jainism but never really understood Jainism, because what she wrote in her book “The Heart of Jainism” that heart of Jainism being empty and pleaded to Jaina to accept
38 Dr. A.N. Lahiri, “Religion and Culture of Jains”,P-21 99 Chandralekha Singh & Prem Nath, “The Great Religions of the
World', Delhi, P- 173 40 Mrs. Sinclair Stevenson, "The Heart of Jainism”Delhi, 1915 (1995)
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