WESTERN
Atheism in Jainism
Being indestructible and absolutely independent, souls are not phases of nor
emanations thrown out by something else. The Jains from the beginning have held
that there is no Brahman-Atman, such as the Brahmins describe. No unity of
substance or being holds the universe together. There is no Supreme Ruler of the
world, such as the devout look to. There are numerous higher beings, who might be
called "gods," and who exist on the various levels of the celestial regions; but
they are finite beings, subject like men to rebirth. No help, Mahavira taught,
could be expected from such beings, themselves in need of redemption. Therefore
human souls caught in the predicament of existence in the physical world, an
needing to find a way of escape from karma through moksha or release, must
realize that salvation is self-attained. Praying to the gods is of no avail.
A monk or nun should not say, "The god of the sky! The god of the thunderstorm!
The god of lightning! The god who begins to rain! ... May rain fall, or may it
not fall! May the crops grow! May the sun rise!" They should not use such speech.
But, knowing the nature of things, he should say, "The air; a cloud has gathered,
or come down; the cloud has rained." 12
Nor does it avail to turn to other men, or ot the words of others, as having
inherent efficacy to save. The priests are of no special authority. The Vedas are
not especially sacred, and cannot be used as miraculous agencies of release from
rebirth. Rather than trust to these external aids, let each man realize that
salvation lies within himself. "Man," runs one of Mahavira's most emphatic
utterances, "thou art thine own friend. Why wishest thou for a friend beyond
thyself?"13
12 Sacred Books of the East, vol. XXII, The
Gaina Sutras, translated by Hermann Jacobi, Oxford, Clarendon Press 1884
p 152
13 ibid., p 33
--in John B. Noss, Man's religions (Macmillan: NY 1956) p 149
[thanks to Jeet (sanghvijr@aol.com) for getting me off my butt
enough to include "the oldest atheistic religion - Jainism."]
As much as people believe or choose to believe that Jainism is an atheistic
religion, I must strongly inform you of the fact that Jainism is NOT an atheistic
religion. We do not deny the belief of god, only we do not acknowledge god as the
Creator of the universe or of man or of earth, but we believe Mahavira, a human
who attained liberation is now one with God, an ever spiritual being. So please
clarify that Jainism is NOT an atheistic religion. Thank you.
- Anshu Jain anshu@dragg.net Oct 29 1997 |
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