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JAINA CONCEPT OF SIDDHAS
Suzuko Obira i
The states of siddhas is postulated variously by different systems o thought each according to their concept of liberation, which is ultimatel established by their ontological ground. Jainism stands on the dual principles of the soul and the matter which are the eternal substances, each plural in number, Jaina school of realism which does not subscribe to the existence of the creator God accepts these swo principles as a matter o fact that they have been in the state of bondage from times eternal. Soul: whose nature is characterised by that of the emancipated ones are consi dered to be embodied in samsāra as the earthly personalities due to their association with material karmas which are of 8 divisions and 148 sub divisions. Mokşa dawns to them when they are freed from these entire karmas, then they remain in the eternal siddhahood.
In the Agamic literature, Aupapatika 42-43, Prajña pana 3.2 and Uttara dhyayana 36.49-681 give a lengthy account of siddhas as to their nature abode and abiding mode. The Au pa patika reads, 'te nam tattha siddha ha. vamti sādiyā apajjavasiyā asarira jivaghaņā damsaņa-nāņovauttā nitthiya tha Direyanā nirayā nimmalā vitimirā visuddhā sāsayam-aņāgayaddhar kalam citthamti.2 Thus a siddha remains in siddhabood with beginning bu without end, invisible, in the form of life, endowed with kevala jñāna an darśana, accomplished, immovable, pure, eternal and so on. Işatprāg bhāra which is the abode of siddhas is described as umbrella-shaped 45,00,000 yojanas long. 8 yojanas thick, and situated one yojana below th end of the universe. Above Işataprāgbhāra up to the end of the loka, th liberated beings are said to be abiding interpenetrating each other (anno ņņasamogādhā), invisible (asarırā) having the physical extent of 2/3 O the last bodies, in the form of virya (jiva-ghanā), kevala jñāna and darsana enjoying unparalleled everlasting bliss (säsayam avvabāham suba), havin transcended the misery of the bondage of birth, old age and death (jāi-jara -marana-bamdha-vimukkā). The treatment of this subject in the Prajnapan and Uttaradhyayana is more or less similar, to which the latter adds topic of the previous lives of siddhas from the standpoints of linga, darśana sarıra, kāla, sankhyā and so on.
Tattvārthasūtra X. 7 enunciates that siddhas are to be distinguished b the application of twelve anuyogadvāras, i, e., kşetra, kala, gati, linga, tirtha caritra, pratyekabuddha-bodhita, jñāna, avaga bana, antara, sankhyā an alpabahutya. Its bbāsya explains their application by way of two day: Sambodhs 4.3-4
