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This refuge formula is only a variation of obeisance formulas with the significant addition of Jina dharma and with clubbing of-Acharya, Upadhyaya and sadhu in the sahu refuge. Moreover Kevali Pannatto Dharma ..... includes the complete faith (Shraddha) in the dharma preached by the Arhat whereby the devotee becomes fully a samyagdrishti.
This refuge formula reminds us of mula mantra of Buddhist trisarana (three refuge). The three refuge of Buddhism are :
Buddham Saranam gachhami (I take refuge in the Buddha). Dhammam Saranam gachhami (I take refuge in the Dharma). Sangham Saranam gachhami (I take refuge in the Sangha).
In Buddhism, number of refuges and adorable ones are the same i.e. three (trisarana and triratna). In Buddhism, obeisance is offered to the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha in their respective order. The Buddha (enlightened one) includes Samyaksambuddha, Pratyekabuddha, Arhats and Boddhisattvas. Dharma is reality realised and taught by the enlightened one, i.e. the Buddha. Sangha consists of four classes of followers of the Buddha and his Dharma viz., Bhikshus (monks), Bhikshunis (nuns), upasakas (men householder having faith in the Buddha) and upasikas (women householder having faith in the Buddha).
We shall now describe the five holies' or the Parameshtis, the supreme divinities.133 A. THE ARHAT
The word Arhat generally means a holy, accomplished, a liberated sage, an illustrious one, a divinity. The ‘Arhat' is one who has destroyed the enemy (ari) viz., anger, deceit, delusion and aversion. Arhat is endowed with four infinite virtues viz., vision, knowledge, bliss and power (darshana, jnana, sukha and virya). He has destroyed impurity caused by ghati karmas viz.,
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THE CONCEPT OF DIVINITY IN JAINISM
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