Concept of Liberation and its Prerequisites

Author(s): S K Bharadwaj
Publisher: Z_Parshvanath_Vidyapith_Swarna_Jayanti_Granth_012051.pdf

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Concept of Liberation and its Pre-requisites
Such a situation brings tranquility and real happiness.
Stages of Liberation
Becoming pure and pure the aspirant of liberation gradually terminates the contact with sinful deeds. The virtuous deeds performed without any feeling of attachment do not become the cause of bondage. Thus he becomes free from the association of deeds and acquires liberation. The cause of bondage having been removed for ever and no rebirth is caused.
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Jaina philosophy believes in jivana-mukti, i.e., liberation while living. Pañcasutrakam mentions four stages of liberation, i.e., (i) sidhyati, (ii) budhyate, (iii) mucyate and (iv) parinirvāti. When the actions, the seed of bondage, are removed, the soul becomes free from the dirt of the rajas quality of the nature and the aspirant becomes siddha. In this state he acquires all powerfulness. He acquires true knowledge. Indeed he becomes identical with knowledge. Then he is liberated. On acquiring liberation, he causes an end to all sufferings. All these achievements, indeed, are gained at one and the same time.
While comparing the concept of liberation of Jaina philosophy as enunciated by Pañcasūtrakaṁh with that described in other systems of Indian philosophy, it is observed that it is a combination of Sankhya, Vedänta and Yoga philosophies. Like Sänkhya, the Jaina philosophy believes in plurality of souls. It also believes in the continuity and eternality of creation, as Sänkhya believes in the eternality of Prakrti. As in Sankhya the soul is the real experiencer of pain and pleasure in the Jaina philosophy. The desire to get liberation is inherent in the individual soul. Jaina philosophy accepts the Brahma of Vedänta and its true form as pure knowledge, but it does not pronounce the world as non-existent or a mere semblance as does the Vedänta. The concept of equanimity (samatva) and performance of deeds in detached manner is the same as propounded in the Gitä. Jaina philosophy has some resemblance with Yoga philosophy also. Though in Pañcasütrakam powers of a siddha are not described, yet Haribhadra sūri, the commentator, describes the state of a siddha as all powerful equipped with such achievement as anima etc. These powers resemble with the powers described in the Yoga-sutra of Patanjali.
Though the Jaina philosophy has many similarities with the Sankhya philosophy yet it differs in one important aspect. The Sänkhya philosophy believes that in reality the soul is never bound and it is the nature which is bound by itself, whereas the Jaina philosophy believes the soul as bound from eternal times. The puruşa of Sankhya is an indifferent seer whereas the soul of Jaina philosophy is