What is Jainism

Author(s): Champat Rai Jain
Publisher: Champat Rai Jain

Page 51

JAINISM WILL STOP WARS
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to regard as the immortal soul. Knowledge is thus shown to be an affection of the soul. Now, let me concede that this affection is provoked by the receipt of the external stimulus, but that does not alter the case in the least. For what must be the nature of him whose mere affections imply knowledge? The soul itself must, then, be pure intelligence by nature. In different words, it is a substance that is embodied intelligence, if I may so put it. This is the reason why it is regarded as endowed with infinite Knowledge potentially, in the Science of Religion. The early Christian Fathers were also familiar with this attribute of the soul. Amongst philosophers, there is Kant who has done so much useful thinking to demonstrate the innate knowledge of the human mind, and there is an English thinker, Prof. Bowne, who distinctly came to the same conclusion as I have set before you today. We may take it, then, that the soul is endowed naturally with a capacity for infinite knowledge.
In respect of happiness I must point out that there are two kinds of pain and three of pleasure which may be experienced by the soul. The two kinds of pain are the physical and the mental. There are corresponding pleasures to these, namely, physical pleasure and mental pleasure; and, in addition to these, there is what may be termed Spiritual pleasure or happiness or bliss, which is fully enjoyed only by those who have completely got rid of matter that is adhering to the soul, and purified themselves wholly from its taint. It was this Spiritual kind of pleasure or joy that was the ideal behind the Cross, for the Bible points out:
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'Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross.' Jainism points out that this joy when once obtained fully shall never know abatement or deterioration or interruption. It is independent of the senses and the mind, and is a quality or attribute of the Spirit substance in its pure state. The early Fathers of the Christian Church understood this doctrine fully. In fact all rational religions have been ever preaching it in one form or another.
Perhaps we are now able to understand why it is that the atman (soul) is described as paramatman (God) in Hinduism, and why it is that the Biblical teaching has it, "I have said, Ye are Gods." For Omniscience, Immortality and Bliss are the three most worshipful