Vaishali Institute Research Bulletin 3

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

Page 120

JAIN CONCEPT OF GOD
111 or potency (grf)17 is qualified (ATU) Brahma which is also known as Ishwara ($997). But it is also disagreable to Jainas, because a soul once liberated, being equipped with infinite knowledge etc. never supposed to have illusion (191) as its inherent power. Vedantins hold that Māyā (HTAT) is of the nature of super-imposition (EATH), it is an error; it is a wrong congnition and it is removable by right knowledge (विज्ञान-निरासा).
The Ishwara (HUTUT ) of Vedantins is described as creator and caretaker too, of the universe like father and mother.18 God takes birth (or incarnate) on the earth whenever there is decline of righteousness and rise of unrighteousness. 19 This is called divine incarnation. Jainas do not believe in such a theory, as true God according to them, is devoid of love hatred etc. and a liberated soul cleaned from Karmic dirt has not possibility of ever appearing again in the Karmic conditions and to be subject of birth and death.
Moreover, neither Brahma nor Ishwara of Vedantins can be regarded as similar to Jain God, because Jainas believe in realistic pluralism, whereas Vedantin Shankara believes in only one reality ( 20, and all Vedatins alongwith Nyaya and Vaisheshika agree in oneness of creator Ishwara. Though the Vedantins accept the uncreated and eternal nature of the individual selves in a way, still they do not recognise the substantiality thereof: individuality is an illusion for them, they assert the unity of soul and deny its plurality.21 But Jainism, on the contrary, holds that souls exist in all living beings, and each separately. In their claim that all pure Jivas (souls) are alike, the Jainas hold that infinite liberated souls may exist touching each other and intermingled with each other, 22 but they retain their individuality, while some Vedantins hold that a liberated soul immerges in Brahma (Supceme Essence) and loses its individuality.
Jaina's Karma Plays Role of Ishwara
The concept of Ishwara found in Hindu Shatsras suggests that the Ishwara as a creator of the systematic creation has to uphold law and justice and for that sake he has to protect the just, punish the unjust and
17. Shvetāshvatara Up. 4.10 18. Gitā, 9.17 19. Ibid, 4.7-8. 20. Chhāndogya Up. 6.2.1
21. haifantay, F Farfear ferant - (Chhāndogya Up. 6.2.1.) - 22. जत्थ य एगो सिद्धो, तत्थ अणंता भवक्खयविमुक्का । अण्णोण्णसमोगाढा पुट्ठा
Hà fa stia (Visheshāvashyaka Bhāshya, 3.76).