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ŚRIMAD BHAGAVADGITĀ: A JAIN PERSPECTIVE : 37 According to Jainism these variegated happenings which we witness in our life are the result of actions and their inevitable reactions which do happen by themselves.
Though Jainism does not believe in God as an external force, it does believe on “Godhood”. It says that our own soul (Jīva or Ātmā) has all the qualities of omniscience and omnipotence. These qualities are shadowed by its association with “Karmas” caused by passions like anger, pride, deceit and greed etc. Therefore, according to Jainism our efforts should be directed to make our soul free from the association of Ajīvas (karma, in Jainism karma is considered as jada (ajīva) or non-soul). When this is done the Self obtains its inherent godhood. Thus according to Jainism you are your own cause and your own effect and that is why by your own efforts and exertion you can reap good and bad results, and you are not subservient to any outside authority. Finality is your own potential. Bșhadāranyaka Upanişad supports this when it says: “Whoever worships God as other than the SELF”, thinking "he is one and I am another” knows not. Even Gītā recognizes this truth when it says “īśvaraḥ sarva bhūtānām hrddheśearjuna tisthati17”i.e. “Oh Arjuna, God sits in the heart of every being.”Jains would say: "tataḥ kṣīņa catuṣkarma prāptothākhyātasaṁyama-bija-bandhana nirmuktaḥa sanātkāḥ Parameśvaraḥ//8” meaning, “When all karmas (actions) are annihilated, one becomes God” -Sayala-viyappahar tuttāhar sivapaya-maggi vsantu."'// This importance of SELF, as given by Jainism, is recognized by the verses which follow the above referred verse 16. For example verse 17 of this chapter of Gītā says, “Those whose intellect is absorbed in “That”, their SELF being, “That”, remaining established in "That”, one obtains his Supreme goal. Such persons reach the place from where there is no return as his sins are destroyed by knowledge.”Similarly verse 21 says, “With the SELF unattached to external contacts, one finds happiness in SELF as he has achieved union with Brahman and enjoys eternal bliss. Here Jainism maintains that transformation of Ātmā into Paramātmā is the ultimate goal of
