The Jain philosophy holds that the world is created and maintained by

Jain philosophy is fundamentally non-theistic and rejects the idea of a supreme divine creator or destroyer of the universe. According to Jaina doctrine, the world has no beginning or end and is considered eternal [1]. Instead of being created by a deity, the universe and its constituents—soul (jiva) and matter (ajiva)—are governed by universal natural laws. These eternal laws ensure that the world goes through continuous cycles of progress and decline without external intervention [1]. The universe is described as self-sufficient, running on its own according to cosmic laws where matter is neither created nor destroyed but only modified. This 'eternal law' or 'universal law' maintains the cosmic order, emphasizing that the interaction between soul and matter drives the world-process [1]. Thus, the maintenance of the world is attributed to a universal, self-regulating mechanism rather than a divine soul or faith.

Sources

1. [1] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 3: Rise of Territorial Kingdoms and New Religious Sects > Tenets of Jainism > p. 40