Journal of Gyansagar Science Foundation 2013 04 01

Author(s): Sanjeev Sogani, Vimal Jain
Publisher: Gyansagar Science Foundation

Page 108

Er. Piyush Jain, Volume 1 Issue 1 April 2013
Atheism -
English literature whenever and wherever religions are mentioned, Jainism is rarely included. Because they treat it more an ethical way and philosophy of life. Personally, I treat it as a tribute to its greatness.
God has a very unique place in Jainism. It rejects the omnipotent, designer, creator, perpetuator, destructor idea. Jain stipulations are -
No super-human, no birth-rebirth, no reward for good deeds no punishment for sins, no prayers, no religion, no soul, no salvation and last but not the least no God. Atheists treat universe as nature - spontaneous, undesigned and self governed by its own laws. A. Science - As far as known history is concerned, it all started with the conflict of Galileo, the father of modern science, with the Church. When for the first time, Galileo inspired by Copernicus's heliocentric (suncentric instead of prevailing geo or earth-centric) model of planets, confronted the teachings of Bible. Dents in the God hypothesis were consistent and became deeper as science progressed. Later, blow came from Darwin, who threw God out of biology. He conclusively replaced design with evolution. God met similar fate in the field of physics first, by Albert Einstein and later by Stephen Hawkins. Last nail in His coffin is, however, yet to be hammered by the science. Unlike the religious leaders, there are no designated leaders in the realm of science. So, while the official line of thought is available for religions, there is no such authentic proclamation from the science per se. We can only gauge the mood of science by what famous scientists have to say about the concepts prevailing across the religions. Though there is no dearth of scientists who advocate the concept of God, the voices against are steadily growing. Some such voices, which compel us to think otherwise, are quoted below.
There is no God to maintain the universe There is no God of judgment
There is no God the ruler • There is no God who helps people
There is no God who demands worship There is no God compared to whom each of us will
always be inferior • The heavenly beings are not gods From Jainism's view point, world neither had a beginning nor will have an end, thereby eliminating the need for creator/destructor. Systems in Jainism are cyclic in nature and entities infinite. This beauty brings it very close to logic and science. As a giant wheel, time keeps on changing from one extreme to another without any divine intervention. Destiny is not divine controlled but is dexterity driven. So, individual karma is supreme. The onus is on the human to become a god and not the other way round. A god, in Jain philosophy is a soul devoid of death-rebirth, attachment-aversion, pleasurepain, misery-ecstasy, etc. Soul attaining an eternal bliss is godliness. This god, however, is not potent to rule the universe. Discussions on fine matter, space-time, and perceptions of brain and constitution of universe are elaborately described in Jain canons. All these are worth a scientific look, however though, some questions still remain unanswered. B. Buddhism - In essence, theories of Buddhism as far as God is concerned are same as that of Jainism. But in the absence of elaborate theories about constitution of universe, composition of matter, characteristics of time and space, it would be difficult to bring it at par with science. Quoting Buddha from Woodward's Gradual Sayings, "So, then owing to the creation of an Ishwara, men will become murderers, abusive, covetous, malicious etc. Thus, for those who fall back on the creation of an Ishwara as the essential reason there is neither desire to do, nor effort to do, nor necessity for an action or inaction not being found to exist in truth and verity, the term recluse cannot reasonably be applied to yourselves, since you live in a state of bewilderment with faculties unawarded. Such is my rebuke to those recluse and Brahmins who thus teach and hold such view."
B. Individuals - Some documented landmarks in the history of science existed because of a few individuals who are revered for their outside the box thought process. "God wrote the universe in the language of mathematics"....Galileo
"I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason and intellect has intended us to forgo their use.".... Galileo it is said that Galileo accepted the God for the fear of church's wrath, but sown the seeds of dissent simultaneously.
"Thus disbelief in God) crept over me at a very slow rate, but was at last complete." ...Charles Darwin
"The mystery of the beginning of all things is insolvable by us; and I for one must be content to remain an Agnostic."...Charles Darwin
"It was, of course, a lie what you read about my religious convictions, a lie which is being systematically repeated. I do not believe in a personal God and I have never denied this but have expressed it clearly."...Albert Einstein
Buddhism teaches the path of Nibbana - state of perfection, real supreme divinity.
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