Religion - Answers the Questions
By Mr. Jagmanderlal Jaini
The word "religion" s here used in the sense of its popular syninym "creed" one's set of beliefs. As soon as man begins to think, he consciously or unconsciously asks himself certain questions about himself, about the universe, about his destination, and about his duties. Equally consciously or unconsciously he answers his questions, in a lucid or indistinct, n a partial or through; n a cogent or unconvincing manner. These sets of answers are his religion. Even if a man denies God, this means only that he expresses his disagreement with the answer of a believer in God, and thus implicitly gives a different answer to the question "How has the universe come to be what t s?" According a man's "religion" mean his accepted answer to questions about himself, the universe, and his destiny and duty in life.
The question "What am I?" may be split up into its two aspects : theological and metaphysical. Theology teaches not only what our "I" or "ego" is, but also the relationship of this ego to God. Metaphysics teaches us the relationship between the "I" and the "non-I", i.e. between man and universe.
The question "How best to live?" may be split up into its two aspects : ethical and ritualistic. The problem of ethics is the problem of man's conduct in society; ritual deals with man's life with reference to his conception of God.
Thus the subject may most conveniently be arranged under four heads-
1. Theology : man's idea of God and his relation to Him.
2. Metaphysics : man's conception of matter and force, life, time and space, etc.; specially the problem of the physical universe and the thinking mind, to which through thought at least it is subject.
3. Ethics : man's duty in life to himself and to society.
4. Ritual : the way of manifesting his theology in the company of those who hold the same theological views.
These four aspects may be considered one by one.
Theology : These questions which we put to ourselves in theology proper are : "What is God?", "What is our relation to God?" The answer to the first question is : God is the highest ideal which man can think of. To the second question: We stand to God as the actual does to the ideal, and it is our duty to try and rise as far as we can to that ideal.
The highest ideal is that which is best for the individual and for humanity. How it so happens that what is best for the former is also the best for the latter. It is something like the selfishness with which Goethe was charged. If every atom of humanity -and man is no more than that-were so to live as to put forth the best that is in him, he would discharge his duty to mankind. Thus our inquiry is limited to finding out the best ideal for the individual. There can be no doubt that in all ages and climes man has sought happiness and avoided pain and misery. "The greatest happiness of the greatest number" is only a practical paraphrase of the Jaina doctrine "absolute and eternal happiness for all living being". So, in the highest ideal, happiness and virtue are identified. The Jaina god is the soul at its best, i.e. when, freed from all the is material, it has attained perfect knowledge, faith, power, and bliss.
Metapysics : In metaphysics man through different ages and stages of philosophy has observed the self and the non-self, and has always tried to apotheosize the one or the other, or to strike a sort of compromise between the two. He has formulated either one substance, like the Brahma of the Vedantist or the matter of the materialist, or else many substances, like the sankhya, or else two substances. Jainism takes its stand upon a common-sense basis, which can be veified by everyone for himself. Jaina metaphysics divides the Universe into two everlasting, uncreated, coexisting but independent categories-the soul (jiva), the non soul (ajiva or non-jiva). Logically iit is a perfect division and unassailable. The non-soul is distinguished under five heads : matter, time, space, and the principles of motion and stationariness. The soul is the higher and the only responsible category. Except in its perfect condition in the final stage of liberation (nirvana), it is always in combination with matter. The body-the non-soul-is the lower category, and must be subdued by the soul. The link of union between the soul and the non-soul is karma; and the production, fruition, and destruction of karma, together with the soul and the non-soul, are called the Principles (tativas) of Jainism.
Ethics : Jaina ethics is the most glorious part of Jainism, and it is simplicity itself. There is no conflict between man's duty to himself and to society. The highest good of society is the highest good of the individual. The soul is to be evolved to the best of its present capacity, and one means to this evolution is the duty of helping that of others by example, advice, encouragement, and help. The jaina discipline is hard. The rigour of this discipline will be evident from the rules of conduct given in the following pages under Ethics, for example the eleven stages of a householder's life (pp. 67-70) and the fourteen stage of a Jaina layman's life is that of intelligent and well-reasoned faith in Jainism; and the second is when he takes a vow not to destroy any kind of life, not to lie, not to use another's property without his consent to be chaste, to limit his necessaries, to worship daily, and to give charity in the way of knowledge, medicine, comfort, and food. And these virtues are summed up in one word : ahimsa (not-hurting). "Hurt no one" is not a merely negative precept. It embraces active service also; for, if you can help another and do not-your neighbour and brother - surely you hurt him, although on the analogy of the legal domnum sine injuria it may be said to be a non-moral omission, for which you may not be condemned.
Ritual : Jaina ritual is, like all priestly matters, very elaborate and complicated; but its principle is in conformity with the simplicity of the whole creed. Its practical aspects are two : the devotional and the ecstatic. The devotional is like the devotion of wife to husband, or of child to father. The devotee feels near to, and in the presence of, the great, rich, brilliant, burning ideal which has presented itself to him as an ever-inspiring, ever-vivifying infinity of purity and joy. In the ecstatic it is the husband of father conscious of his power, of his reception of the devotion of wife or child. The soul in ecstasy feels itself to be the light. The Jaina ritual also circles round the one central Jaina ideal-the perfect soul-which is at once the goal, duty, and destiny of the best of humanity.
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Article Courtesy : Mr. Pravin K. Shah
Chairperson Jaina Education Committee
Federation of Jain Associations in North America
509, Carriage Woods Circle Raleigh, NC 27607-3969, USA
E-Mail : pkshah1@attglobal.net
Websites : www.jaina.org & www.jainism.org
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Mail to : Ahimsa Foundation
www.jainsamaj.org
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