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theistic notion of Him, is also anti- theistic. For example, Pantheism is anti-theism in so far as it deniss the personal nature and attributes o God, bput it is not atheism because it accepts God in one form or the other. Hence, if is debatable whether Jainism is af heistic or Anti-theistic.
Atheism has four important forms, viz., Sceptical atheism, Agnostic atheism, Dogmatic atheism and Critidal atheism. Sceptical atheism is that theory which doubts the existence of God as we find in the philosophy of Hume. Agnostic atheism holds that God is unknown and unknowable. It is evident in the philosophy of Kant Dogmatic atheism is that attitude which does not accept Gid but denies His existence on blind f. ith. Carvaka, in Indian philosophy, may be regarded as an example of dogmatic atheism. Critical atheism is that which examines critically the profs for the existence of God and finding them vacuous, tends to deny the e istence of God.
of many deities, accepted the notion of ore sovereign God, who is supposed to te the Creator, Maintainer and Destroye: of the universe, holding personal and moral relationship with m..nkind and granting unchartered providences to his devoties. Jainism de: ounces the notion of a personal God with all his attributes. It is evident from the following prayer of Mallisena, a noted Jaina logician, ac dressed to Lord Mahavi.a, “There is a maker of the world, and He is one, He is imnipresent, He is selfdependent, He is ete nal—these would be pretence of mere assurances on the part of those whose teacher thou art not."3 Jainism not only rejects the theistic but also the Pantheistic notion of God or the Absi lute, which will be evident from the refutation of the arguments advance for the existence of G d. All these may go to brand Jainism as a form of "Critical atheism."
Refutation of the proofs for the existence of God :
The Jainas denounce the different Mahavira made a break with the
arguments advanced by the thcists for vedic traditicn which attributed God. the existence of God, which are as hood to the different forces of Nature Flowe like fire, sun, moon, sea, etc., and conceived the deities like Agni, surya,
he Naiyayikas, advance the soma, varuna, and so on. He also c. usal argument for the existence of denounced monotheism, which instead God. They maintain that ev. ry pro
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