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THE DOCTRINE OF LIBERATION IN INDIAN RELIGIONS
self does not receive any favour, privilege or immunity from an arhat or a siddha but attains perfection through its own efforts and knowledge. As A.N. Upadhye remarks :
“Neither arhat nor siddha has on him the responsibility of creating, supporting and destroying the world. The aspirants receive no boons, no favours and no cures from him by way of gifts from divinity. The aspiring souls pray to him, worship him and meditate on him as an example, as a model, as an ideal that they too might reach the same condition.”:179
In conclusion, we may sum up the distinguishing features of a siddha in the following lines :
1. The self on being liberated from the snares of karmas goes
to the top of the universe called siddhašilā where it reaches within one samaya. It cannot go beyond that siddhasilā due
to non-existence of dharmāstikāya, the condition of motion. 2. Like the flame of fire or the upward movement of castor
seed, the liberated self goes with the upward motion. It
never returns again to the transmigratory existence. 3. Every liberated self maintains its own individuality through
all eternity. It means that Jainism does not hold that self
is absorbed in the absolute brahman. 4. A liberated self occupies space which is two-thirds of its
last body. 5. Of the four states of existence, only human state (gati) can
attain liberation. 6. A being gets enlightenment and liberation only through pure
meditation (sukla-dhyana). He cannot be perceived by the
senses or known by scriptural study. 7. The liberated being is free from merit and demerit. He is an
embodiment of infinite knowledge, intuition, bliss and power.
179. AN. Upadhye, Paramātmaprakaba, Introduction p. 34. See L.M. Joshi's
comments on arhats and siddhas in Facets of Jaina Religiousness in Comparative Light, pp. 53-60
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