Jainism and Democracy

Author(s): Indra Chandra Shastri
Publisher: I A S S Jain Conference New Delhi

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14
JAINISM AND DEMOCRACY
presented a picture of the entire universe, where not only human beings and sub-human animals but even the inanimate objects merge into one unity. The realization of that unity according to them was the state of complete powerfulness. Similarly the state of complete power according to them was attained only when that unity is realized. All religious and mystic practices mean its gradual realization.
Similarly knowledge in this period does not mean a learning about external affairs which are phenomenal. The Upanishadas proposed that soul is the substratum of everything that appears eternally and everything external is known when the substratum is realized. They repeatedly lay emphasis on soul as the only object to be realized. Thus in the field of knowledge also they became introvert.
The same is the case with happiness which they said can be realized in the inner self only. Thus the same entity came to be realized as the abode of all the three ideals. Not only this it was identified with the later in the form of 'Sachchidananda' which is a sum total of power, knowledge and happiness. We observe here that the God of Upanishadas is nothing but the state of perfection of the above three.
Regarding this perfection also the Upanishadas held that it is not something to be attained or effected. Shankara holds that it is free from all the four phenomenal acquisitions such as attainable (Prāpya) effectual (Karya), changeable (Vikārya) and refinable (Sanskārya).
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