$JES 901 Jainism and Spiritual Awakening E9

Author(s): JAINA Education Committee
Publisher: JAINA Education Committee

Page 24

02 - CONCEPT OF GOD AND TIRTHANKARA
02 - Concept of God and Tirthankara
Jainism is a religion of purely human origin and it is a religion of compassion to all living beings of the universe. God and Tirthankara
The religion is propagated by self-realized individuals who have attained total selfcontrol, perfect knowledge, and omniscience by their personal effort. They have
been liberated from the bondage of attachment, aversion, and of worldly existence, thus ending the cycles of life and death. These individuals are popularly viewed as human Gods in Jainism. Hence, the concept of God as a creator, protector, and destroyer of the universe does not exist in Jainism. The concept of God's descent into a human form to destroy evil is also not applicable in Jain philosophy. When a person truly expels all his vices (known as Kashaya or removal of Mohaniya Karma) like anger, ego, deceit, and greed, his spiritual state is known as a Vitaraga (beyond attachment and aversion). After this spiritual state, he can annihilate the remaining three Ghäti karma, which subdue the true nature of the soul. This way he attains:
Anant Charitra or Perfect conduct and happiness
Removal of Mohaniya Karma
Keval-inän or Infinite knowledge
Removal of Jnänävaraniya Karma
Removal of Darshanävaraniya karma
Keval-darshana or Infinite perception Anant Virya or Unlimited power and energy
Removal of Antaraya Karma
JAINISM AND SPIRITUAL AWAKENING