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Lesson 19 ARIHANT
Rita : Sir, many of my friends in school talk about God.
Jesus is their God, Krishna is another God. Can
you tell me something about our God? Teacher : Many religions say, "God created the world. He
maintains it. He controls it. He is very kind. He forgives us for our sins. He knows everything. He
makes us happy." Rita : Does Jainism say the same thing about God? Teacher : No, Jains have a differnet concept of God. It is not
God, but godhood that can be attained by every soul. He/she who attains it, is omnipotent. He knows everything about all the past, present and future at the same time. He is free from the four major Karmas. We call these great souls Arihantas. There have been many Arihantas. In present time cycle, there were twenty-four of them who set up the religious order afresh to help us cross the cycles of birth and death. They also re-established the order of the Jain-Tirth formed of Sadhus, Sadhvis, male and female house-holders and that is why they are also called Tirthankaras. The Jains
worship them. Rita : Did they create the universe?
.
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