Brahman

==Brahman in Jainism==
Scholars contest whether the concept of Brahman is rejected or accepted in Jainism. The concept of a theistic God is rejected by Jainism, but ''Jiva'' or "Atman (Self) exists" is held to be a metaphysical truth and central to its theory of rebirths and [[Kevala Jnana]].<ref>Ray Billington (1997), ''Understanding Eastern Philosophy'', Routledge, {{ISBN|978-0415129657}}, page 46</ref>

Bissett states that Jainism accepts the "material world" and "Atman", but rejects Brahman—the metaphysical concept of Ultimate Reality and Cosmic Principles found in the ancient texts of Hinduism.<ref>James Bissett, ''Cultural and Religious Heritage of India'', Volume 2: Jainism (Editors: Sharma and Sharma), Mittal, {{ISBN|81-70999553}}, page 81</ref> Goswami, in contrast, states that the literature of Jainism has an undercurrent of monist theme, where the self who gains the knowledge of Brahman (Highest Reality, Supreme Knowledge) is identical to Brahman itself.<ref>C. Caillat and N. Balbir (2008), ''Jaina Studies'', Motilal Banarsidass, {{ISBN|978-8120832473}}, pages ix–x</ref> Jaini states that Jainism neither accepts nor rejects the premise of Ultimate Reality (Brahman), instead Jain ontology adopts a many sided doctrine called ''[[Anekantavada]]''. This doctrine holds that "reality is irreducibly complex" and no human view or description can represent the Absolute Truth.<ref name=pjaini>P. Jaini (1998), ''The Jaina Path of Purification'', Motilal Banarsidass, {{ISBN|81-208-1578-5}}, pages 90–93</ref><ref>J. Koller (2004), "Why is Anekāntavāda important?", (Editor: Tara Sethia, Ahimsā, Anekānta, and Jainism), Motilal Banarsidass, {{ISBN|81-208-2036-3}}, pages 400–407</ref> Those who have understood and realized the Absolute Truth are the liberated ones and the Supreme Self ([[Paramatman]]), with [[Kevala Jnana]].<ref name=pjaini/>