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IS JAINISM AN ATHEISM?
The believers in God as a cretor sometimes look upon Jainism as an atheistic religion which view is
erroneous inasmuch as Jainism does not deny the existence of God; it only describes Him in a way quite
different from that professed in other faiths. This difference is that while other religions describe
God as creator, destroyer, ruler andmanager of the affairs of the universe, God, according to Jainism ,
is an omniscient, omnipotent and a perfectly blissful Soul not having the least taint of materialism or
physical existence.
An atheist believes that after the destruction of the body, the soul also disappears, he describes
salvation as the state of death or non-entity and as such no attempts whatever to attain Moksha or
salvation need be made, it shall come whether you seek it or not, Jainism, on the contrary, believes
that Moksha is a state different form the mundane existence,and we have to stuce and stuce hard to
obtain it. Atheiss,properly speaking, are those who deny the existence of soul and maintain that what
people call soul is nothing but an outcome or a particular combination is impaired the soul becomes
extinct so that in the opinion of an atheist or materialist ; matter and soul are one and sould are
distinct entities with distinct characteristics. Though both have existed, or say co existed from
enternity, yet both to retain their own entitics ,matter never transforms into soul not soul ever
transforms into matter. Souls have been emerging and condition of Godhood by shattering off their
veils and bonds of matter.
God and omnipotence: A question may now be asked if God is not the creator and the ruler of the universe and does not interfere in its affairs “How the can such deity,” he said “to be omnipotent or all-powerful?”
Go more nafs ko apne gusse ko zer,
Baneae samp ka kora woh ik sher par charh ker.
Subduing one’s anger and sensual craving is like riding a lion with cobra-whip in hand.
There are two considerations that may be made in answer to the question. Firstly what in reality constitutes power; the answer is the essential nature of a thing is its power. The essential nature of Soul is to know to have unlimited knowledge & it is its power. And knowledge is power , in possessing infinite, knowledge the soul- an Emancipated Soul or God possesses infinite power. The second is that one, say for instance a king, who has -fought and conquered his enemies and is abpve to maintain himself from being molested by them, is called powerful. There is no mightier foe for man than his own passion or baser self and he who has conquered them completely in such a way that they cannot molest him again is the most powerful ,nay, all-powerful being.
Omniscience and Science, Mathematics & Modern Inventions: It has been stressed that Godhood is latent in a living being particularly in man. Not only this, the Jains even claim that their Tirthankars were omniscient and that you and I can also attain that status. A question arises how is it then that the omniscient Lords did not throw light on modern inventions?
There is a two-fold answer to this. Firstly , much of the knowledge revealed by them has been aware of such things as are invented and discussed now a days. They never took pains to teach the ordinary people about their uses, instead they taught them the way for the upliftment of their souls; we were taught how to become their equal, because they foresaw the people would not only misuse the knowledge as we actually are doing at present but would be so much engrossed in the pleasure afforded that they would totally forget the real aim and mission of life.
Even though several thousands of hand-written books have been destroyed there are even now thousands of manuscripts which remain and no body cares to know what they contain. One such book on Mathematics viz Ganit Sar Sangrah was detected lying in the Madras University manuscript library by an able Prof. of Sanskrit Philosophy and Mathematics, who translated it in English. The book contains the various formulae on A.G. H.P. and G.P in Sanskrit Shalokae. It contains the formula for finding the area of a triangle when three sides are given. For finding the area of a circumscribed quadrilateral. A Hindi Translation of this book is now available for M/s Jain Sanskrit Samrakshka Sangha in India.
Science . Inspite of all its discoveries and inventions Science has failed to promote real, happiness, for it has lost light of the spirit within. It has on the contrary bestowed very little thought to the Science of sciences-the science of that vital conscious entity which has given all this urge of enquiry and also the urge-why the urge is at all, what are its demonds and what it likens usto acquire.science as we know today has introduced instruments which have will, giving man all possible material comforts and annihilation of the world within a few days or even come only with non-attachment, mutual co-operation and the last not the least complete abhorrence of violence.
There is yet another matter which needs enquiry and that is why there are no omniscient teachers today amongst us? The answer is the pre-requisite of true religion is Right Faith which has however been wholly replaced by a pure soul less materialism Immortality a daily growing lass. Deception trickery treachery are the order of the day and the lust for power and pelf has overclouded the yearning for Truth.
Despite all the paraphernalia of the so called civilization of today there is no leisure an ease. A conviction that founder of our religions were primitive men and little better in point of culture and accomplishment than mere babes.
Deterioration in physical strength which must further deteriorate as an inevitable result of prevailing pestilience and perpeptual wars, if the present trend of affairs is not arrested in time.
Loss of peace of mind which is almost impossible without religion and which is at present throttled by the higher pressure speaks of modern civilization.
