Page 52 - Acharya Vinoba Bhave in 21st Century ISBN

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Vinoba Bhave and Jainism

Prof.(Dr.) Sohan Raj Tater

Principles of Jainism
(a) Concept of Universe and Soul in Jainism

In accordance with the Jain philosophy, the universe is eternal, everlasting and uncreated,
without a beginning or an end. There is no creator or Supreme Being. The cosmic constituents are the

animate and the inanimate. The animate comprise an infinite number of souls. The true nature of soul is
that of eternal bliss and beatitude. When the soul is liberated it attains its true nature. If being liberated

is being divine, then divinity is inherent in all of us, in all life form, irrespective of whether it is animal or
human. In its mundane existence the soul is attached to the body by the karmic bonds that arise from

its passions and emotions. We can detach our soul from these passional bonds through our own effort,
not through the intervention of any external entity or Supreme Being. In fact, the closest thing to a divine

entity in Jain religion is sidha, or the liberated soul. By definition, such divine entity is vitaraga, that is,
free of all attachments and aversions. It does not meddle in the affairs of the world. It does not reward

anyone with prosperity or happiness when pleased, or punish them when offended. This dual concept
of oneness of life and self-reliance for achieving salvation is the foundation of the Jain philosophy.

Along with Jains, Vinoba Bhave believed that knowledge was the intrinsic property of the soul
or the Atman. In its pristine condition the soul was pure knowledge and pure intuition. The purity of

soul and its knowledge was only obscured by the impediments of passions and emotions. Vinobaji
believed, as Jains do, that a man whose mind was undisturbed by sense storms and was completely

emptied of the self, develops an unerring intuition.

(b) Theory of Non-Absolutism
Let us first deal with the Jain contribution to human thought that guided Vinoba’s entire life and

his actions. This is the concept of Anekantvada, or pluralism. It is a concept which recognizes that
reality is many-fold, highly complex and pluralistic. Our view of reality is but one aspect of it, based on

our own beliefs and experiences. There may exist other views and other experiences. The whole truth
is the synthesis of these experiences. Truth is relative. It may appear to be different from different

perspectives and different standpoints. To an observer in a moving train, the trees appear to be moving

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