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Compiled By: Mr. Pravin K. Shah Jainism believes that universe and all its substances or entities are eternal. It has no beginning or end with respect to time. Universe runs own its own accord by its own cosmic laws. All the substances change or modify their forms continuously. Nothing can be destroyed or created in the universe. There is no need of some one to create or manage the affairs of the universe. Hence Jainism does not believe in God as a creator, survivor, and destroyer of the universe. However Jainism does believe in God, not as a creator, but as a perfect being. When a person destroys all his karmas, he becomes a liberated soul. He lives in a perfect blissful state forever in Moksha. The liberated soul possesses infinite knowledge, infinite vision, infinite power, and infinite bliss. This living being is considered God of Jain religion. Every living being has a potential to become God. Hence Jains do not have one God, but Jain Gods are innumerable and their number is continuously increasing as more living beings attain liberation. Jains believe that from eternity every living being (soul) is attached with karma. The soul suffers due to existing karma. While suffering it acquires additional karma because of its ignorance of its true nature. The main purpose of the religion is to remove the karma through knowledge of self and become liberated soul. There are many types of karma. However they are broadly classified into the following eight categories: Mohniya
karma-It
generates delusion in the soul in regard to its own true nature, and makes it identify
itself with other external substances. While travelling on the path of spiritual progress, a person destroys all eight types of his karmas in the following sequence: First it destroys Mohaniya (delusion) karma then Jnana varaniya (knowledge), Darasna varaniya (vision), and Antaraya (natural qualities) all three together At this time, he attains Keval_jnan and he is known as Arihant, which is also known as Tirthankara, Jina, Arhat, Kevali, or Nirgantha. Lastly the remaining four karmas namely Vedniya (pleasure and pain of the body), Nama (body), Gotra (social standing), and Ayu (life span) are destroyed. At this time, he attains total liberation and he is known as Siddha. The first four karmas are called Ghati karmas because they obscure the natural qualities of the soul. The last four karmas are known as Aghati karmas because they do not affect the qualities of the soul, but they are associated to the physical body of the soul. Once a person destroys all his Ghati karmas, he will definitely destroy all of his Aghati karmas before his death. No fall back can occur after the destruction of Ghati karmas. Both Arihant (Living Human being) and Siddha (Free Soul) are considered Gods in Jainism. Arihant When a person destroys his four Ghati karmas, he attains keval jnana. He has regained the original attributes of his soul, which are perfect knowledge, vision, power, and bliss. He is omniscient of the past, present and future forms of all entities (living and nonliving beings) of the universe. He is still a human being. He remains in the state of blissful condition for the rest of his life. Arihants are classified into two categories: Tirthankar Tirthankar Jainism believe that Twenty four Tirthankars are born during each descending and ascending part of the time cycle in this region (known as Bharat Kshetra) of the universe. No two Tirthankaras exist at the same time. Generally a Tirthankara is born when the religion is at its depression state. The new Tirthankar revives the same Jain philosophy. He gives a different form to the religion practice, which depends upon the time, place, and the social behavior of the human society of that time. Example: Lord
Mahavir preached five great vows for ascetics, whileLord Parshva preached four
great vows. The vow of celibacy was included in the non possession category by
Lord Parshav. In the religious scriptures, the name Arihantas and Tirthankaras areinterchangeably used because simple_kevalis do not play any active roles in the religious order. Tirthankar is also known as Jina, Arihant, Arhat, Arhant, or Nirgrantha. Tirthankara:
Founder of four-fold order of monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen. Jain Gods Question Answer The Four
Fold order Sravaks and Sravikas (lay followers):They are not required to renounce the world, but are expected to discharge household duties by honest means and live a progressive pure life. They follow the twelve vows of lay people. --------------------------------------------- www.jainsamaj.org R301002
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