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Jiva is constitutionally free and potentially divine. His union with Karma has the effect of limiting the inherent freedom and obscuring the innate divine nature. When the connection between the two is completely severed, the Jiva appears all his real refulgence, power, bliss and knowledge, and this: is Moksha. When darkness is dispelled by means of light, we do not take away one thing and put another in its place; we simply remove the obstructing agent and we see the true thing. When a parrot imprisoned in a cage is set at liberty, we do not take away the cage and give something else in its stead; we have only to remove that which was in the way of freedom and the parrot is free. So Moksha is merely the unfoldment of what Soul potentially possessed already; it does not mean possession of something new.
There are fifteen kinds of Siddhas Jiva, Ajiva, Tirtha, Atirtha, Grihasthalinga, Anyalinga, Svalinga, Pullinga, Strilinga, Artificial Napumsakalinga, Buddhabodhita, Pratyekabuddha, Svayambuddha, Eka and Aneka.
With Moksha, the categories end. Their study is essential to the knowledge of Jainism. We may again invoke the authority of the Sutra quoted above: 'He who is acquainted with these nine principles and lays hold of them by faith is perfect in knowledge. He who is ignorant of them cannot be perfect in Knowledge. The words and doctrines of all the Jain Lords (Tirthankaras) are here and nowhere else to be found; therefore he whose mind is instructed in these nine categories possesses true and stable knowledge.'
Jain Ethics.
We may now consider the ethical theory of the Jains. It is based upon their theory of Karma; in fact it is the logical consequence of that theory. The ideal is Moksha, i. e. freedom from all Karmas. For their destruction the Jiva is to endeavour through hundreds of births and the Jain scriptures
