________________
236
I am the Soul
faith who observes rituals in his own custom, and destroys attachment and aversion, Moksa is a certainty.
Amongst us, Siddha has been defined to be of fifteen types. Of them, one is Grhasthalinga Siddha - that is a person may be dressed as a householder, but if all karma is dissolved, then he can attain Moksa. Similarly, Anyalinga Siddha - that is a person who may be following another faith or sect, may be an ascetic with long hair in braids, wearing saffron clothes, a necklace of beads and wooden footwear - anything that his sect permits and behaves accordingly, at the same time his soul is progressing towards purity with dissolving karmas, can also attain kevaljnana and subsequently Moksa. Now here is a follower of another faith, but since he relinquished attachment and aversion, he attained Moksa. Such jiva becomes a Siddha and hence is called Anyalinga Siddha.
Once we had an occasion to discuss this topic with a brother. He was knowing the Agamas well. We asked, "What is your opinion?" He said, "I firmly believe that while in other faiths one may very well attain kevaljnana but not Moksa. Soon as he attains kevaljnana, he will abandon the robes of an ascetic and wear the robes of a Jain muni acceptable to the Jain tradition." We couldn't help laughing. What gibberish! What a twisted belief! Once kevaljnana is attained, the Veetarag - the one who is free from all passions - who is enjoying the bliss of the soul, will not be bothered whether he has worn any clothes at all. Then where is the question of wearing the robes as this person says? He would be united with the experience of the soul in its form of complete knowledge.
Indeed, what relation does Moksa have with the dress? Moksa does not occur due to or of the dress. Moksa is of the pure soul. Why! Among the Jain sects, the Digambers say that so long as there is cloth on the body, there can be no Moksa. Cloth
Jain Educationa International
For Personal and Private Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
