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Jainism is, thus, a pluralist theist philosophy that believes in infinite number of souls capable of achieving the status of Godheads.
Jaina Axioms
The Jaina thought and its logic is based upon certain foretruths that do not brook any arguments. The following are the Jaina axioms: --
A. There are infinite numbers of souls, which are doers of actions through their bodies and enjoyers of fruits thereof. B. There is karma-matter, which soils the soul by its association.
C. All souls have an initial association with karma-matter. D. All worldly existence is miserable.
E. There is liberation from the misery of the mundane existence.
F. There are means to achieve such liberation.
is because of belief in these fore-truths that every faithful Jaina considers liberation from mundane existence as his foremost aim, and endeavours to achieve it. All Jaina Prophets visualise these truths, preach them and propound knowledge, and conduct that lead their flocks towards spiritual liberation.
Entire Jaina philosophy, metaphysics, cosmology and ethics are based on these fore-truths. We shall examine them in the sections that follow.
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