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the number of Tirtankaras for every age is believed to be only twenty-four. This need not be a discouraging factor for the spiritual aspirants because it is maintained that the next higher stage of the siddha is considered to be possible even for the nonTīrthankaras.
THE SIX-FOLD MONASTIC ORDER
The Arhat is considered to be the ideal saint and the perfect guru. He is also designated as Paramātman or god. From the distinct view-point that Jainism takes in regard to the description of godhead, it is natural for us to expect that the arhats are not enpowered to do any favour to those who worship them. As Upadhye points out: "Neither arhat nor siddha has on him the responsibility of creating, supporting or destroying the world. The aspirant receives no boons, no favours and no curses from him by way of gifts from the 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."4 It is thus held that worshipping arhats is effective inasmuch as it creates confidence in the devotees that spiritual advancement and perfection will be possible for them too.
With all the attempts at describing the nature of the arhat, as Sogani points out, the essence of the arhat cannot be completely exhausted in conceptual and rational terms. The luminous aspect of the arhat eludes a complete comprehension of it in purely rational or ethical terms. Though sometimes purely negative descriptions are attempted, they all point to some experience which is positive, which can be had only through pure meditation or contemplation.5
Siddha: This stage represents the trans-empirical state. The siddha is one who has escaped from the causal plane, who has escaped from the teeth of karma. The siddha is described as not being the product of anything nor producing anything." Since he has escaped from the shackles of karma altogether, he is completely independent of all external objects. Naturally therefore there is no question of his experiencing either pleasure or pain. His is a state of infinite, pure and unlimited bliss.
4 Cited in K. C. Sogani, op. cit., p. 199
5 See K. C. Sogani, Ibid., p. 203
6 Pañcästikäya, 36
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