Essence of Jainism

Author(s): Jyoti Prasad Jain
Publisher: Shuchita Publication Varanasi

Page 16

the state of perfectest and everlasting beatitude.
The Jaina conception of divinity is also unique and is another illustration of its realistic pluralism. Each soul, when completely free from karmic influences, becomes itself' and transforms into divinity'. Viewed as a type, as the staie of highest spiritual evolution, divinity is one, connoting collectively all the divinities represented by all the emancipated and liberated souls. But, viewed individually, each liberated soul is a full and perfect divinity in itself and by itself; it retains its individuality even in liberation. This is the conception of God in Jainism, which as a type is the ideal to the aspirants. It does believe in Godhood, but not in a God as the 'first cause'. The Siddhas and the Arhantas represent the two types of divinity or Godhoods, the former being the absolutely liberated bodiless pure souls, and the latter, also known as the Kevalins or Jinas; including the 'Tirthankaras, are those who
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