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theism is not religion and anything more than theism is inconceivable". Naturally these writers do not regard Jainism and Buddhism as religions but only as moral systems. Whether Jainism is a religion or only a moral system is a separate issue, which we shall not discuss here. We shall only presume that Jainism is a religion of its own kind. It is not a theistic religion in the sense that it does not believe in surrender to and worship of a transcendent God who is personal in nature, and the Creator, Maintainer and Destroyer of the universe. For Jainism every soul is God (Appa so parmappa). Each soul is perfect in its pristine purity, and need not bow down before any external deity. Religion is self-search, self-discovery and self-realization. God is in the depth of every being. One has simply to dig Him out. Hence in place of taking refuge in God (Ishvara Pranidhana), Jainism lays stress on taking refuge in one's own self (Atma Pranidhana).
Lord Mahavira has defined "Dharma" as the nature of thing and being (Vatthu sahavo dhammo). The nature of fire is to burn, hence it is its dharma. Similarly what is the essential nature of man, is his dharma. But the question is, 'what is the essential nature of man ?' Ordinarily we take a man as a Psychophysical being who has passions and cravings for the things of enjoyment. But Lord Mahavira held that man is not only body but, above all, he is the self, and the characteristic of the self is consciousness. (Chetna lakshano jivah1 ). To be in pure consciousness is to be in one's essential nature. The passions and cravings are there, only so long as man is in ignorance. The life of ignorance is the life of bondage (Murccha Parigrahah).The life of knowledge is the life of freedom. As religion is freedom (Moksha), Mahavira maintains that "Irreligious is he who is in ignorance, and religious is he, who is awakened" (Sutta amuni, munino saya jagaranti). 3 Hence religion is 'self-awakening; it is being in-the self. The characteristic symptoms of not being-in-the self or ignorance are anger (Krodha) greed (Lobha) egotism (Mana) and attachment (Maya). On the contrary, the characteristics of self-awakening or dharma are : forgiveness (Ksama), humility (Mardava), simplicity (Arjava), contentment (Sauca), truthfulness (Satya), self-restraint (Samyama), Penance (Tapa). Sacrifice (Tyaga), voluntary poverty (Akinchanya)and celibacy(Brahmacharya).4 These have been called as the ten charactertistics of Dharma. Like Socrates, Lord Mahavira also believed that "Virtue is knowledge". "Knowledge precedes compassion"
1. Tattvartha Sutra, 2. Tattvartha Sutra, 7/17 3. Acharang Sutra, 3/10
उत्तम क्षमा मार्दव प्रार्जव शौच सत्य संयम, तपस्त्यागाकिचन्य ब्रह्मचर्याणि धर्माः । : (
9/6) tit, ter, 455, 4199, | #, pà, foaic, antara 1 (FATAİT 99-10)
612
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