Jainism in a Global Perspective - Collection of Jain papers of 1993 Parliament of World Religions, Chicago

SR No.: 014010
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Sagarmal Jain, Shreeprakash Pandey
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith
Publication Year: 1998
Total Pages: 402
Language: English
Classification: Seminar & Articles
File Size: 23 MB

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Jainism in a Global Perspective
to be exhausted, he has the physical structure but there is no influx of karmas. He attains enlightenment and still lives in this world to preach the truth. This very stage of Samanya kevali of Jainism can be compared with Jivanmukta of Samkhya and Vedanta tradition of Indian philosophy and apratisthitanirvāṇa of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Prof. H. Zimmer has compared this attitude of Sāmānya kevalī with the function of a lamp. "As a lamp that lights a room remains unconcerned with what is going on in it..... the room, similarly the self enacts the role of lighting the phenomenal expersonality solely for the maintenance of the body not for the pursuit of any good or any gratification of senses or any timely goal."13
Siddha
Attainment of this stage is possible only after complete annihilation of both destructive and non-destructive karmas. As total karmas are exhausted, the soul attains dis-embodied liberation. It experiences bliss which is super sensuous, unique and infinite. This stage can be compared by Videhamukti of Vedanta system of Indian philosophy. After attaining this stage of perfection the Siddha has upward motion and goes to siddhaśilā - plateau at the apex of the universe which is abode of the omniscient soul.
Siddha is worshiped as God. It has eight qualities - infinite knowledge, infinite perception, infinite power, infinite conduct, infinite bliss, immortality, steadiness and formlessness. In a single time cycle Siddhas may be numberless 15 or infinite where Tirthankaras are supposed to be twenty four in each ascending and descending eon of one time cycle.
Siddhas are said to be of fifteen types16 Jina, non-jina, tirtha, nontirha, house holder, different religious, same religous, male, female, eunuch, Pratyekbuddha, Swayamsambuddha, Buddhabodhita, one and many.
World creativitism and Jaina Dharma
As I have mentioned in the beginning that the concept of God in general is very much related to the evolution and dissolution of the universe. All the Veda-oriented philosophical and religious systems assert that this whole universe is evolved out of one primordial element and that is God. He is defined as trinity of super Gods-Brahmā as a creator, For Private & Personal Use Only