| Part ofa series on |
| Jainism |
|---|
 |
Ethics Ethics of Jainism
|
Major sects |
Sanskritmoksha orPrakritmokkha refers to the liberation or salvation of a soul fromsaṃsāra, the cycle of birth and death. It is a blissful state of existence of a soul, attained after the destruction of allkarmic bonds. A liberated soul is said to have attained its true and pristine nature of Unlimited bliss, Unlimited knowledge and Unlimited perception. Such a soul is calledsiddha and is revered inJainism.
InJainism,moksha is the highest and the noblest objective that a soul should strive to achieve. In fact, it is the only objective that a person should have; other objectives are contrary to the true nature of soul. With the right view, knowledge and efforts all souls can attain this state. That is why Jainism is also known asmokṣamārga or the "path to liberation".
According to the Sacred Jain Text,Tattvartha sutra:
Owing to the absence of the cause of bondage and with the functioning of the dissociation of karmas the annihilation of all karmas is liberation.
— Tattvārthsūtra (10-2)[1]
From the point of view of potentiality ofmokṣa, Jain texts bifurcates the souls into two categories:bhavya andabhavya.Bhavya souls are those souls who have faith inmokṣa and hence will make some efforts to achieve liberation.[2] This potentiality or quality is calledbhavyata.[2] However,bhavyata itself does not guaranteemokṣa, as the soul needs to expend necessary efforts to attain it. On the other hand,abhavya souls are those souls who cannot attain liberation as they do not have faith inmokṣa and hence never make any efforts to attain it.[2]
According to Jainism, purification of soul and liberation can be achieved through the path ofthree jewels:[3][4][5]
The four jewels are calledmoksha marg.[4] According to AcharyaKundaKunda'sSamayasara:
Belief in the nine substances as they are is right faith (samyagdarśana). Knowledge of these substances without doubt, delusion or misapprehension, is right knowledge (samyagjñāna). Being free from attachment etc. is right conduct (samyakcāritra). These three, together, constitute the path to liberation.[10]
The fourteen stages on the path to liberation are calledGunasthāna. These are:[11]
| Gunasthāna (Stages on the Path) | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1.Mithyātva | The stage of wrong believer (Gross ignorance) |
| 2.Sasādana | Downfall from right faith |
| 3.Misradrsti | Mixed right and wrong belief |
| 4.Avirata samyagdrsti | Vowless right belief |
| 5.Deśavirata | The stage of partial self-control |
| 6.Pramattasamyata | Slightly imperfect vows |
| 7.Apramatta samyata | Perfect vows (Mahavratas) |
| 8.Apūrvakaraņa | New thought-activity |
| 9.Anivāttibādara-sāmparāya | Advanced thought-activity (Passions are still occurring) |
| 10.Sukshma samparaya | Slightest delusion |
| 11.Upaśānta-kasāya | Subsided delusion |
| 12.Ksīna kasāya | Destroyed delusion |
| 13.Sayoga kevali | Omniscience with vibration (destruction of all inimical karmas) |
| 14.Ayoga kevali | The stage of omniscience without any activity |
Those who pass the last stage are calledsiddha and become fully established in Right Faith, Right Knowledge and Right Conduct.[12]
Nirvāna means final release from the karmic bondage. When an enlightened human, such as an Arihant or aTirthankara, extinguishes his remainingaghatiya karmas and thus ends his worldly existence, it is callednirvāna. Technically, the death of an Arhat is called their nirvāṇa, as he has ended his worldly existence and attained liberation. Moksha (liberation) follows nirvāṇa. However, the termsmoksa andnirvana are often used interchangeably in theJain texts.[13][14] An Arhat becomes a siddha, the liberated one, after attaining nirvana.
In that night in which the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira died, freed from all pains, the eighteen confederate kings of Kasi and Kosala, the nine Mallakis and nine Licchavis, on the day of new moon, instituted an illuminations on the Poshadha, which was a fasting day; for they said: 'Since the light of intelligence is gone, let us make an illumination of material matter!'(128)[15]
Once a soul securessamyaktva,mokṣa is assured within a few lifetimes. According to Jain texts, the liberated pure soul (Siddha) goes up to the summit of universe (Siddhashila) and dwells there in eternal bliss.[16][17]
A liberated soul dwells inSiddhashila with infinite faith, infinite knowledge, infinite perception, and infinite perfection. According to the Jain text,Puruşārthasiddhyupāya:
Having achieved the ultimate goal, knowing everything that needs to be known, and enjoying eternal and supreme bliss, the Omniscient, Effulgent Soul rests permanently in the Highest State (of liberation).
— Puruşārthasiddhyupāya (224)[18]
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
| Gods | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philosophy | |||||
| Branches |
| ||||
| Practices | |||||
| Literature | |||||
| Symbols | |||||
| Ascetics | |||||
| Scholars | |||||
| Community |
| ||||
| Jainism in |
| ||||
| Jainism and | |||||
| Dynasties and empires | |||||
| Related | |||||
| Lists | |||||
| Navboxes | |||||
