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beings, his/her Karma plays an important role. According to his past Karma, his present fate is decided, and his future will be decided based on his present and the balance of his past Karma. Jains do believe in God. Our God is Jina. The word Jina literally means "the Victor" or "the Liberator", the one who has freed himself/herself from the bondage of Karma by conquering Räga (attachment - deceit and greed) & Dvesha (aversion - anger and ego). The God in Jainism is Vitaräga (devoid of any attachment or aversions), Sarvajyna (possess knowledge of all things and all events) and Hitopdashi (preaches for the benefits of humanity). Bhagawän Mahävir was the last reformer of Jainism. He should not be mistaken as the founder of Jainism. We had the first Tirthankar, Rishabhadev, in the third segment of this Avasarpini (regressive half cycle). The remaining 23 Tirthankars lived during the fourth segment of the Avasarpini. At present, we are in the fifth segment.
Once the Jiva is liberated, he does not have any attachment to the material world or material affairs. His relationship to the material world is permanently terminated. In Moksha, there is no pain, no material happiness, no sufferings, no obstructions, no birth, no death, no sense organs, no afflictions, no delusion, no deceit, no possessiveness, no sleep, no hunger, and no desire. Siddhas have infinite knowledge, infinite perception, infinite conduct, unlimited energy, eternality, formlessness, and complete equanimity in Moksha. The state of liberation is not describable in words. The best possible material happiness is not even equal to the smallest possible fraction of the permanent happiness that Siddhas have in Moksha. Siddha has complete pure consciousness that can be achieved by the one who endeavors as expounded by the Omniscients. That is the state of ultimate holiness, ultimate efficiency and unlimited energy. Moksha is the supreme condition. It is not describable in words because words are Pudgals and in Moksha, there are no activities. There is no room for applying any logic. This is not the subject of intelligence. Siddhas have no attachments; therefore, they have no grief. Moksha is the subject of experience. How can a mute person describe taste of the delicious food? This does not mean that e delicious food is not tasty. One can understand and enjoy taste of the delicious food by tasting it. Similarly, no person here can describe Moksha, one has to experience it. Whatever is being expressed about Moksha is like the taste of delicious food described by a mute person.
Every Jiva should have the goal of liberating himself from karmic bondage. As one sheds his Karma and continues to purify his soul, it becomes lighter and he begins to experience what liberation is like. Human life is successful only if one endeavors to eradicate his Karma and tries to free himself from the slavery of Karma that has been in existence since the time without beginning. The sole purpose of the religion, Sädhanä and the spiritual practice is that one frees himself from karmic bondage and attains Moksha. One experiences happiness when one's disease is cured, when his enemies are destroyed, or when one gets something he wanted to possess. What kind of happiness would one experience, if he is free from all diseases; if he has no enemies and there are no more desires? What one gets from Moksha is infinite times greater happiness (peace, bliss, joy) than this. It is felicity arising from no worldly circumstances, but the Jivas in Samsär who are accustomed to enjoy low pleasures cannot think of that.
Jain philosophy describes that the process of liberation can happen in various ways just as we can reach New York from many different directions. There are fifteen different ways one can attain liberation.
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Jina Siddha
Ajina Siddha
Tirtha Siddha
In this process, an individual acquires Tirthankar Karma, which is a part of the body making Karma (Näm-karma) in the third life from the last. The individual becomes a Tirthankar in the last life, reestablishes the Jain congregation, and then attains liberation. Examples: All the Tirthankars, to name a few, Rishabhadev, Ajitnäth, Shäntinäth, Neminäth, Pärshvanäth, and Mahävir, etc.
This way, a person does not gain the Tirthankar Karma but becomes Kevali and attains liberation. Example: Gautam-swämi
In this category, the individual attains liberation, after taking the shelter under the Jain congregation established by the Tirthankar.
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