Jainism - A Theistic Philosophy (GOD IN JAINISM)

by

Dr. Krishna Gosavi  

His just published Bookis a must read.

Dr. Krishna Gosavi’s doctoral thesis on Jainism published by Parshvanath Vidyapith, Varanasi, is a refutation of its Classification in Indian Philosophy as an atheism, because it is a theistic Philosophy, a realism.

In this book the author has tried to establish Jainism as a Theistic Philosophy contrary to Pre-established theories about God, particularly in Vedic Philosophy. Generally, Jainism is considered as an atheistic philosophy because, like Brahmanical theology, it does not believe in trinity of God as creator, sustainer,and destroyer. But it believes in the existence of the Paramatma, the supreme soul which has been considered as synonyms of God in other Indian Philosophical Systems. Jainism considers Paramatma as God. The author maintains that Jainism is not an atheistic philosophy but is a theistic one. It holds that classification of Jainism in Indian philosophy as a Nastika or its English translation, quite often, made as an atheistic or heterodox is quite unjustified and misleading because Jainism is a very much theistic philosophy and religion, if compared with all religions of the world.

This scholarly research work presents a balanced scholarship, offering perspectives and raising issues from both the Western and Indian academia.