________________
Räjgeetä
ultimate objectiveof every one.
The sixth Fundamental states that there is a way to attain liberation and resorting to that mode constitutes the religion. The principal role of religion is thus to lead the worldly soul towards liberation. The purpose of composing this Ätmasiddhi Shästra is to show that path. It was therefore stated in the second stanza that the path of liberation, which stands mostly forsaken at present, has been explicitly described here.
Every religion purports to show the right path for its followers. Some of them, however, have no concept of liberation. They do talk of salvation, but equate it with gaining the pleasure of an Almighty or some other deity, and enjoying the situation that He might extend by virtue of His pleasure. Such a state is termed as heavenly happiness. No state can, however, continue forever. It is conceivable that a time may come, when one would lose the favor of the Almighty. In that case He would throw him out and extend the appropriate punishment!
Jainism does not subscribe to such a salvation. It conceives of the state of ultimate liberation from which one does not have to revert. That is a perfectly blissful, eternal state. The liberated soul has not to take a new birth and stays forever in that blissful state. This concept is not aristocratic in the sense of restricting it for only a few selected souls. It is fully democratic. Not only does it state that every soul is equal, but also states that every soul has the potentiality to attain liberation. What needs to be done is to realize that potentiality and to manifest the true nature of soul. All sorts of spiritual pursuit are meant for that purpose.
74
