Book Title: $JES 904 Compendium of Jainism (Jain Academic Bowl Manual 3rd Edition)
Author(s): JAINA Education Committee
Publisher: JAINA Education Committee
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CONDUCT
C01 - Pancha Paramesthi
Arihanta Siddha Ächarya Upadhyay Sädhu Total
12 attributes 8 attributes 36 attributes 25 attributes 27 attributes 108 attributes
02 Arihanta The word "Arihanta" has many meanings. The word is derived from the word "Arhat". Those who are revered by heavenly beings and humans are known as Arhants or Arhats. The word Arihanta is also made up of two words: 1) Ari means enemies, and 2) Hant means destroyer. The enemies referred to here are inner desires and passions, namely anger, ego, deceit, and greed. Therefore, Arihanta means destroyer of enemies. The real nature or the qualities of our soul will not be realized or manifested until we eliminate these passions. When an individual destroys all four kinds of defiling karma attached to his soul, he attains the full manifestation of absolute knowledge, Keval-jnän. That person is now known as Kevali (Omniscient) or Jina. An Omniscient lives in realization of infinite knowledge, perception, energy, and bliss. It is essential to be totally free from passions to get rid of four kinds of defiling karma. One becomes omniscient only upon eradicating all four defiling or Ghati karmas. These four defiling Karmas are:
Jnänävaraniya (Knowledge Obscuring) Karma Darshanävaraniya (Perception Obscuring) Karma Mohaniya (Deluding) Karma
Antaraya (Obstructing) Karma These karma are called Ghäti (destructive) karma because they directly affect the true nature of the soul. When these Karma are destroyed, a person attains the following four infinite qualities (Anant Chatushtay):
Keval-inän (Anant-jnän) - Perfect knowledge due to the destruction of all Jnänävaraniya Karma
Keval-darshan (Anant-darshan) - Perfect perception due to the destruction of all
Darshanävaraniya Karma • Anant-chäritra - Passionless state due to the destruction of all Mohaniya Karma
• Anant-virya - Infinite energy due to the destruction of all Antaraya Karma Classification of Arihanta There are two broad classifications of Kevalis:
• Sämänya (simple) Kevali
• Tirthankar Kevali Upon attaining omniscience, Sämänya Kevalis simply spend the remainder of their lives in meditation until all non-destructive karmas are exhausted. Tirthankar Kevalis, upon attaining omniscience, reestablish the Jain Sangha (fourfold Jain order) consisting of Sädhus, Sädhvis, Shrävaks (male householders), and Shrävikäs (female householders). They devote their lives to preaching and guiding others toward the path leading to liberation. In each half of one time cycle, only 24 Kevalis attain the distinction of Tirthankar. The first Tirthankar of our time period was Bhagawan Rishabhadev, and the twenty-fourth and last Tirthankar was Bhagawan Mahävir. Bhagawan Mahävir lived from 599 BC to 527 B.C.
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Compendium of Jainism - 2015
