Concept of Divinity in Jainism

Author(s): P Ajay Kothari
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

Page 78

Mindfulness (smriti), investigation of the truth (dharma vichaya), energy (virya), joy (priti), serenity (prasrabdhi), concentration (samadhi), and equanimity (upeksha) are the constituents of the Arhat. Those who have well perfected their minds in the factors of enlightenment, who do not cling to anything, who rejoice in freedom from grasping, whose impurities have been destroyed, who are luminous, they (Arhats) are liberated in this world. For him who has finished his journey, for him who is without suffering, for him who is released from everything (or from all sides), the fever (of passion) does not exist." Arhatship connotes, “Knowledge and vision arose in me — 'my liberation is unshakeable',. This is the last birth, there is now no more rebirth”. 76
Acharya Buddhagosha recollects the blessed one, the Buddha, as an Arhat for the following reasons :
1. Recause of remoteness (araka) 2. Because of his enemies (ari) 3. The spokes (ara) having been destroyed (hata) 4. Because of his worthiness (araha) of requisite, etc., 5. Because of absence of secret (rahasbhava) evil-doing.
According to Saddharmalankavatarasutra : "An Arhat is one who has attained meditations, object of meditations, trances, deliverance, psychic powers, super knowledge, and who is free from defilement, sufferings and thought-constructions.”78
The Arhat is the Ideal of Hinayana and the Ideal of Mahayana is Bodhisatta (Bodhisattva).79 The Pali term Bodhisatta is composed of Bodhi, which means wisdom or enlightenment, and Satta, which means 'devoted to' or 'bent upon’. Bodhisatta, therefore, means one who is devoted to, or bent upon enlightenment. The Bodhisatta (Bodhisattva) means wisdom beings. 80
A truly religious being must seek his liberation in and
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THE CONCEPT OF DIVINITY IN JAINISM