Jaina Religion Historical Journey of Evolution

Author(s): Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

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Jaina Religion: Its Historical Journey of Evolution
demonic outbursts, by eradication of the karmaobstacles. The aim of devotion to Jina or omniscient and Jina-worship related ceremonies also is the individual's own spiritual growth rather than only mundane achievements and removal of obstructions and obstacles in life. A Jaina aspirant clearly keeps in mind that all worships and prayers, eulogies, praises and invocations of Jina are only for one's own self-realization and achievement of ones own pure and inner qualities of the self.
The proclamation of Jaina tradition - 'Vande tadguņa labdhaye' i.e. the aim of salutation is to achieve the qualities of the omniscient or the perfect soul. Essentially speaking our soul and the soul of Jina are alike. Infact, the achievement of the qualities of the perfect soul means only the realization of one's owns self. Thus, basically Jaina ceremonies are meant for self-purification and self-realization. In Jaina ceremonies most of the mantras and passages are meant to make us aware of the essential nature of the worshipped or they are meant to inspire us to get liberated from the destructive tendencies in us. Though Jaina rituals by their basic nature are spiritual, but it is a natural weakness of human beings that they want to achieve mundane happiness and comforts with the medium of religion and also along with it they
expect religion to remove obstacles, which come in