YJA Convention 1996 07 San Francisco CA Second

Author(s): Young Jains of America (YJA)
Publisher: Young Jains of America YJA USA

Page 70

Topic
Indian Religions
Western Religions
Paths to God within oneself. Sin is only of the Salvation comes at the end of the and Salvation | mind, not of the soul, which is world (contd.) pure. God does not judge or
punish (No Judgement day).
Destiny:
Purpose of life is to evolve, through experience, into higher spiritual destiny. Ultimate destiny is Liberation or Nirvana.
Man's destiny lies beyond this world, which is eternal joy (heaven) or eternal suffering (hell)
Man's Suffering:
Suffering is due to soul's (man's) Suffering is due to ignorance. Path which leads disobedience to God's Will not from ignorance to knowledge | believing and not accepting of His allows soul to attain immortality law. Acceptance of God's Will from death
(one true God and religion) ensures that one will enjoy God's grace.
Evil:
There is no intrinsic evil, all is good and all is God. No force in the world or in man opposes God. Veiling the instinctive intellectual mind keeps one from knowledge of God.
A genuine evil exist in the world, which opposes God's will. Evil is embodied in Satan and his demons, and partially in man as one of his tendencies.
Hell:
Hell is a lower astral realm, it is On Judgment Day the physical not eternal. Exists as a period of body of every soul that ever lived Karmic suffering, a state of is brought to life. God consigns mind in life or between lives pure souls to heaven and sinners
to Hell. Hell is a physical place where the body burns without being consumed. One suffers the anguish of knowing he will never be with God.
Conduct:
Moral living is essential to spiritual progress. Unrighteous thoughts, words, and deeds keeps one from liberation.
Religion must be based on ethical and moral conduct. Opposite conduct leads one away from God.
Virtue:
Virtuous conduct and right beliefs are the foundation of religious life.
Obey God's commands for a moral and ethical life. Believe in Him and in His Prophets (i.e.
Jain Education Intemational