Vaishali Institute Research Bulletin 3

Author(s): R P Poddar
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 119

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VAISHALI RESEARCH BULLETIN No. 3
Creation-not an act of God
Jainism maintains that Jiva and Ajiva—these two primary substances, when coming in contact become some how attracted, are combined and bound with each other, constitute the universe. Jiva-intelligent substance alone without the aid of Ajiva-a non-intelligent substance is not supposed to be a cause for mundane existence. As siddha or liberated soul of Jainas is a pure and perfect soul without the least Karmic impurities, he is absolutely free from and dissociated with the matter of all kinds, and completely devoid of feelings of attachment (Tr) and aversion (Q) with the result that new matter ceases to be attracted towards himself and he is no longer able to be a cause for mundane existence.
la Secondly, liberted soul cannot be a material cause or able to evolve this world out of himself 10 because it, being an intelligent substance cannot be cause of non intelligent ( a) materials. 11
Thirdly, the liberated soul of Jainas with infinite qualities differs from ideal of Nirguna Brahma as accepted by Shankar school. The Brahma of his nondualist (अद्वैतवादी) school is ultimately beyond all attributes (निर्गुण)12 while Jainas hold that a liberated soul is crowned with the eight attributes.18 The liberated soul according to the Jainas, though formless (177)14 is described to occupy space and that too, of a measure determined in comparison with the bodies last possessed, 13 e. g. it is stated to be two-third of the size of the body it had last. If this is the case, it cannot be identified with formless (FACTSIT) Brahman. A substance according to Jainas, is never supposed to be without a quality (TOT)16, so a concept of non-qualified (farfur) Brahman without attributes is impossible.
Jain God compared with Ishwara
The Vedantins also accept a concept of qualified (ATU) Brahman; they maintain that Brahman infected with Māyā (TTT)-its inherent power
10. The Manduka Up. says that just as a spider emits and draws in
its thread, or as the hairs of the head and body springs forth on a living being, in the same way the universe springs forth from Brahman. (Tartufarfar: Hà TEMA 7, TPTT a feat ATTET: Hafra i
UT #a: quia Nota, 79T T1 Fraaf fayan)-- Mundak. 11. Pañchāstikāya Sāra, 36. 12. Brahma Sutra, 3. 2. 14, Shankar Bhashya.
TETUTÄRGOT (Niyama Sāra, 47 & 72.) 14. Niyama Sāra, 48. 15. Dravya Sangraha, 51, 14, Ādi Purāņa, 47/342; 16. Panchāstikāya Sāra, 13
13.