Jagat Kartutva Mimansa Prakaranam

The Jain text "Jagat Kartutva Mimansa Prakaranam" (A Discourse on the Creation of the World) by Muni Shivanandvijay, published by Shri Jain Granth Prakashak Sabha, is a profound philosophical work that critically examines the concept of a creator God and advocates for the Jain path to liberation as the true means to ultimate happiness.

The book begins by acknowledging the suffering inherent in the cycle of birth and death (samsara) and posits that liberation (moksha) is the only desirable goal among the four pursuits of life (dharma, artha, kama, moksha), as the others are impermanent. It asserts that liberation is attainable only through the path shown by scriptures, and challenges the notion of a creator God, a central tenet of many other philosophical systems.

The author emphasizes the Jain approach to evaluating scriptures based on rigorous logical examination, using criteria like "kashapraksha" (purity of injunctions and prohibitions), "chedapraksha" (completeness and consistency), and "tapapraksha" (absence of contradiction and adherence to all nayavada - manifold perspectives). It argues that the Vedic scriptures, despite their antiquity and claims of being eternal, fail these tests due to internal contradictions, mixing of worldly desires with spiritual goals, and advocating violence. Similarly, Buddhist and other heterodox philosophies are also critiqued for their contradictions and deviations from established truths.

The core of the book is a detailed refutation of the concept of an Ishvara (God) as the creator of the universe. The author systematically dismantles arguments supporting creation by a divine being, drawing heavily on Jain logic and epistemology. It argues that:

• The concept of creation is flawed: Arguments based on causality (workmanship like a pot implies a creator) are shown to be insufficient when applied to the universe. The Jain philosophy of anekanta (non-absolutism) explains the origin and sustenance of the universe through inherent principles and the interplay of causes and conditions, not a single external creator.
• The attributes of a creator God are problematic: The omnipotence, omniscience, and benevolence attributed to a creator are shown to be incompatible with the suffering and imperfections observed in the world. If a creator is all-powerful and benevolent, why does evil and suffering exist?
• Jainism's self-sufficient system: The Jain scriptures, originating from the liberated souls (omniscient beings, kevalins), are presented as self-sufficient and free from the flaws of other systems. The Jain path, based on anekanta, syadvada (conditional predication), and the conduct of tirthankaras (spiritual pioneers), is the only true path to liberation.
• Critique of Vedantic and Buddhist philosophies: The book specifically addresses and refutes key doctrines of Vedanta (like Brahman as the sole reality and maya as illusion) and Buddhism (like sunyavada - voidness), highlighting their logical inconsistencies and lack of empirical or scriptural validation according to Jain principles.

The author champions the Jain teachings as the "path to ultimate good" (paramashreyamarga) because they are rooted in reason, ethics, and the direct experience of liberated beings, not in the postulates of a creator. The book concludes by asserting that the Jain path, guided by the teachings of the tirthankaras, is the only means to achieve true and lasting happiness, free from suffering.

The text is presented as a "Mimansa" (critical investigation) into the "Jagat Kartutva" (creation of the world), aiming to establish the superiority and validity of the Jin Shasan (Jain doctrine). It is a learned treatise that engages with various philosophical arguments, demonstrating the author's deep knowledge of logic and Jain metaphysics.