Book Title: Tulsi Prajna 1991 07
Author(s): Parmeshwar Solanki
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati

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Page 71
________________ Vol. XVII, No. 2 29 ledge, faith and conduct. When it appears in its purest form, it is known as supreme soul. At this stage the differences between the knower, (Jñātā) knowledge (Iñāna) and objects of knowledge (Iñeya) cease to exist. The ideal of Brahmvid brahmaiva bhavati' becomes a reality. Dr. Radhakrishnan has called it 'the religion of the supreme spirit.' Pujyapāda, a Jaina philosopher, has explained the status of the supreme power in this manner"Whatever is supreme soul is myself and whatever is myself is the supreme soul. I am a devotee to myself and nobody else."9 Sankara has described the status of this purest nature of the supreme soul in the following verse : Na bandhurnamitram gururnaiva sisyas / cidānandarupaḥ śivo'har sivo'han // Conclusion Thus the conception of the God in Jaina and Hindu religions is integrated with the conceptions of soul (Atmā), salvation (Mokşa) and supreme soul (Paramaitmā). The object of attaining the status of supreme being is determined after knowing the real nature of these three conceptions. In both the religions the supreme reality is in the form of an ideal for the fulfilment of moral values. From the empirical point of view God may be seen as the creator of the world, its organiser ana compassionate towards living beings but for the state of transcendentalism God is pure conscio'rs, highest knowledge and full of pleasure. The different names of the supreme reality are more or less the same in both the religions and wherever the differences in the names are visible there, both the religions agree about these symbols of virtues which are depicted in them. There can be differences in the numbers of such virtues in these two religions but the fundamental virtues of the supreme soul are more or less similar. The supreme soul is devoid of all sorrows. It is conscious, supreme kpower and full of pleasure. It does not entangle itself again in the bondages of the world by leaving its status of supreme reality. In the same manner there are similarities in the ways and means of attaining the status of supreme soul, differences exist only in names of the paths. Through devotion a worldly being uses the concept of supreme element for his spiritual development so that one day a similar status that of God may be obtained by it. 1. The moral ideals, which are followed in this path of purifying the soul, are also useful for the preservation of humanity and the welfare of the living being. When the Hindu religion reaches the stage of spiritualism-rooted religion from devotion-rooted doctrines, it comes near Jainism. The concept of the supreme element and the paths of attaining this status brings the two religions closer to each other. But in Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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