Do Jain Masters reach a Vaikuntha Planet?

[Guest guest]

I have been studying the Jain religion and have found they are nothing like either the Advaita-vedantists or the Buddhists. Jains believe in the individual soul and that we retain our individual soul-identity for eternity.

 

They are very moral people, and practice a very high-level of ahimsa, seeing incarnated jivas in all lifeforms. I read that because they are people of such high-integrity, they are very wealthy businessmen in India. People like dealing with them in business, because of their integrity. Ironically, they are a sect that does not seek worldly wealth. Still many Jains are very wealthy.

 

While it appears they are mainly impersonalist in their beliefs of a Supreme Being.. they do not speak about merging in some cosmic effulgence or anything like that, so it's not fair to compare them to either Buddhists or Advaita-vedantists.

 

My question is do their Masters reach a place within the eternal spiritual world, what Vaishnavas call the Vaikuntha planets? I have read that they speak of an eternal loka, that exists beyond Maya, and that is where they seek to ascend to through their sadhana. While they do not call this loka Vaikuntha, is there a special Vaikuntha planet for Liberated Jains?

[Guest guest]

 

I have been studying the Jain religion and have found they are nothing like either the Advaita-vedantists or the Buddhists. Jains believe in the individual soul and that we retain our individual soul-identity for eternity.

 

They are very moral people, and practice a very high-level of ahimsa, seeing incarnated jivas in all lifeforms. I read that because they are people of such high-integrity, they are very wealthy businessmen in India. People like dealing with them in business, because of their integrity. Ironically, they are a sect that does not seek worldly wealth. Still many Jains are very wealthy.

 

While it appears they are mainly impersonalist in their beliefs of a Supreme Being.. they do not speak about merging in some cosmic effulgence or anything like that, so it's not fair to compare them to either Buddhists or Advaita-vedantists.

 

My question is do their Masters reach a place within the eternal spiritual world, what Vaishnavas call the Vaikuntha planets? I have read that they speak of an eternal loka, that exists beyond Maya, and that is where they seek to ascend to through their sadhana. While they do not call this loka Vaikuntha, is there a special Vaikuntha planet for Liberated Jains?

 

Do you think anyone here would truly know? All anyone can do is quote scripture, maybe that's what you're looking for, but in my opinion the only Truth that's valid is the truth of experience.

[Guest guest]

But I do think they reach the same destination ultimately everyone does. It wouldn't make any sense if they didn't. So Buddhists, advaitins, vaishnavs, shaivites, christians, muslims, jews, all of them end up at the same place in the long run.

[Guest guest]

Do the Puranas mention the Jain sect?

[Guest guest]

 

Do you think anyone here would truly know? All anyone can do is quote scripture, maybe that's what you're looking for, but in my opinion the only Truth that's valid is the truth of experience.

 

This is a very good point, and your next one as well. That should be our best guess: find the common ground instead of jumping to big talk against other schools viewing them from our small-minded angles. The question itself is valid as one regarding a fair Vaishnava perspective on the Jain philosophy, but if it cannot be justified without an attached condemnation of Advaitins or Buddhists, well ... .

 

Who rates these threads anyway? The Admin or the authors themselves? This thread has barely gotten started and it already has a five-star attached to it!!

[Guest guest]

 

This is a very good point, and your next one as well. That should be our best guess: find the common ground instead of jumping to big talk against other schools viewing them from our small-minded angles. The question itself is valid as one regarding a fair Vaishnava perspective on the Jain philosophy, but if it cannot be justified without an attached condemnation of Advaitins or Buddhists, well ... .

 

Who rates these threads anyway? The Admin or the authors themselves? This thread has barely gotten started and it already has a five-star attached to it!!

 

 

Sorry: was fooled. Apparently someone restarted this thread with a fake message which the admin removed; so it appears like mine is the first after 8-28.

[theist 1]

 

But I do think they reach the same destination ultimately everyone does. It wouldn't make any sense if they didn't. So Buddhists, advaitins, vaishnavs, shaivites, christians, muslims, jews, all of them end up at the same place in the long run.

I don't believe this is true. Jesus said that in the Land of His Father there are many mansions. Referring to the same as what GV Vaisnavas teach about different spiritual lokas for different moods of worship and attraction to the Lord.

 

Some souls prefer to run and play with Krsna as a friend and they would feel out of place where the awe and reverance mood was predominant. They don't want to see Vishnu on a Throne as much as they want to chase Him through the forest playing tag as Krsna.

 

The whole point of the Spiritual Sky is whole hearted love for the Supreme Lord. So how can anyone be expected to attain a place anywhere in Vaikuntha (the Spiritual Sky) if they don't even believe in the personal existence of the Supreme Lord in the first place, like the Buddhists and Advaitins?

 

I believe sincere Christians go the Christ-loka in the heavens where Lord Jesus Christ will teach them further on the nature of the Father and then go to the Vaikuntha or Goloka abodes according to their desired rasa, for example.

 

It is not a one size fits all existence that Krsna has set up. Even in this material world we see everyone has a unigue position according to their karma. The same in the spiritual world only instead of karma dictating our position our position will coincide with the type of love we have for Krsna. There is room for full variety. The nature of a relationship with God is based on love. And love is a free will expression that arises from the soul in a way that is most preferable to that soul.

[krishnadasa 0]

Jain or for that matter any other religion which spouted in Kali yuga has not been mentioned in Sanatana scriptures. Howver , it's been said that there will be so many so called religions would come up...

 

Hari hari bol

[Gaea 0]

 

The whole point of the Spiritual Sky is whole hearted love for the Supreme Lord. So how can anyone be expected to attain a place anywhere in Vaikuntha (the Spiritual Sky) if they don't even believe in the personal existence of the Supreme Lord in the first place, like the Buddhists and Advaitins?

 

 

it's true that bhakti is the end-goal. But i think the operative words in the previous post was "finally reach" - meaning even if one is an atheist, Advaitin etc. that person will just move up the rung of the ladder until eventually he/she gets there from a future life of bhakti. These labels are just labels of the body in my opinion - in one body you may well be an Advaitin, in the next a Vaishnava. What really counts isn;t the nitty gritty of your beleif system but your Love for God.

[theist 1]

 

it's true that bhakti is the end-goal. But i think the operative words in the previous post was "finally reach" - meaning even if one is an atheist, Advaitin etc. that person will just move up the rung of the ladder until eventually he/she gets there from a future life of bhakti. These labels are just labels of the body in my opinion - in one body you may well be an Advaitin, in the next a Vaishnava. What really counts isn;t the nitty gritty of your beleif system but your Love for God.

 

If that is the case then there is no need to even mention various philosophies or religious paths for even a soul in a microbe form will make it to God one day under that same laddering principle.

 

My point is that Vaikuntha is the sole province of Krsna and Vaisnava's to engage in their variegated loving pastimes. When I say Vaisnava I do not refer to someone with vaisnava garb on his body, who considers himself part of a religion called vaisnavism etc. I mean the fully self realized soul established in his eternal dharma in relationship to Krsna as His loving servant and friend.

To say that only vaisnava's enter Vaikuntha simply means that only fully self realized/God conscious souls reach Vaikuntha. The Jain is not a Jain, he is a Vaisnava who thinks he is a Jain.. or Buddhists, Advaitin, Hindu, Christian etc.

 

Vaisnavism is not a religion. It is the soul fully awakened to his/her relationship with Krsna.

 

From this angle we can see the dormany Vaisnavism arising within people as they practice their various religious duties. I see it awakening within the sincere Muslim as he/she bows in prayer 5 times a day. Or in the Christian who prays and lifts his eyes to God while praising the Lord and petitons the Lord to clean his heart so he might love the Lord in Spirit and in Truth as they say. I am not meaning to sound sectarian when I say only Vaisnavas in Vaikuntha.

[Gaea 0]

 

My point is that Vaikuntha is the sole province of Krsna and Vaisnava's to engage in their variegated loving pastimes. When I say Vaisnava I do not refer to someone with vaisnava garb on his body, who considers himself part of a religion called vaisnavism etc. I mean the fully self realized soul established in his eternal dharma in relationship to Krsna as His loving servant and friend.....

From this angle we can see the dormany Vaisnavism arising within people as they practice their various religious duties. I see it awakening within the sincere Muslim as he/she bows in prayer 5 times a day. Or in the Christian who prays and lifts his eyes to God while praising the Lord and petitons the Lord to clean his heart so he might love the Lord in Spirit and in Truth as they say. I am not meaning to sound sectarian when I say only Vaisnavas in Vaikuntha.

That is actually a lovely way of seeing it - thank you.