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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mokṣa (Sanskrit: मो , liberation) or Mokkha (Prakrit : मोख )means liberation, salvation or emancipation of soul. It is a blissful

state of existence of a soul, completely free from the karmic

bondage, free from samsara, the cycle of birth and death. A

liberated soul is said to have attained its true and pristine nature of

infinite bliss, infinite knowledge and infinite perception. Such a

soul is called siddha or paramatman and considered as supreme

soul or God. In Jainism, it is the highest and the noblest objective

that a soul should strive to achieve. It fact, it is the only objective

that a person should have; other objectives are contrary to the true

nature of soul. With right faith, knowledge and efforts all souls can

attain this state. That is why, Jainism is also known as

mokṣamārga or the “path to liberation”.

1 The concept

1.1 Description in Jain texts

1.2 Bhavyata

1.3 The concept of individuality

1.4 Siddhasila

1.5 Human Birth

2 Milestones towards mok ṣa2.1 Samyaktva

2.2 Kevala Jnana

2.3 Nirvāṇa

3 See also

4 References

The concept of mokṣa, presupposes an existence of infiniteeternal souls, who alone are doer, enjoyer and responsible for their

action. Thus, all souls are entangled in the mundane worldly

activities, bound to karmas since beginningless time and

transmigrating and reincarnating from one existence to another. According to Jainism, all souls can bring an

end to this repeated cycle of births and deaths and attain liberation, that is mokṣa.

Description in Jain texts

Samaṇ Suttaṁ[1] contains the following description of Nirvāṇa -

Where there is neither pain nor pleasure, neither suffering nor obstacle, neither birth nor

death, there is emancipation.(617)

Where there are neither sense organs, nor surprise, nor sleep, nor thirst, nor hunger, there

is emancipation.(618)

ksa (Jainism) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia file:///C:/Users/akmoe/Documents/JAINISM/Moksa_(Jainism).htm

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Mahavira's Nirvana or Moksa

depicted in Kalpasutra. Note the

crescent shaped Siddhashila.

Depiction of Siddha Shila as per

Jain cosmology wihich is abode of

infinite Siddhas.

Where there is neither Karma, nor quasi-Karma nor the worry, nor any type of thinking

which is technically called Artta, Raudra, Dharma and Sukla, there is Nirvāṇa. (619)

Uttaradhyana Sutra[2] provides an account of Gautama explaining the meaning of mokṣa to Kesi, a disciple

of Parsva.

There is a safe place in view of all, but difficult of approach, where there is no old age nor

death, no pain nor disease. It is what is called Nirvâna, or freedom from pain, or perfection,which is in view of all; it is the safe, happy, and quiet place which the great sages reach. That is

the eternal place, in view of all, but difficult of approach. Those sages who reach it are free from

sorrows, they have put an end to the stream of existence. (81-4)

Bhavyata

However, from the point of view of potentiality of mokṣa, Jain texts

bifurcates the souls in two categories–bhavya and abhavya. Bhavya

souls are those souls who have faith in mokṣa and hence will make

some efforts to achieve liberation. This potentiality or quality is called

bhavyata.[3]

However, bhavyata itself does not guarantee mokṣa, as the

soul needs to expend necessary efforts to attain it. On the other hand

abhavya souls are those souls who cannot attain liberation as they do

not have faith in mokṣa and hence never make any efforts to attain it.

The concept of individuality

Jainism upholds the concept of individuality of souls, even after

liberation. There are infinite living beings who have attained moksa and

infinite living who have not attained mokṣa, The soul continues tomaintain distinct individuality even after mokṣa. Hence, there are

infinite siddhas or liberated beings existing in eternal infinite bliss.

Siddhasila

According to Jain cosmology, Siddhasila is the place where all the

siddhas i.e. the liberated beings reside. It is at the apex of the universe.

Human Birth

Moksa or liberation can be attained only in the human birth. Even the

demi-gods and heavenly beings have to re-incarnate as humans and

practice right faith, knowledge and conduct to achieve liberation. According to Jainism, human birth is quite

rare and invaluable and hence one should make wise choices.

A soul is bound by the karmas since beginningless time. The first step to achieve mokṣa is to inculcate

Samyaktva or rational faith or perception.

Samyaktva

According to Jainism, Samyak darsana (Rational Perception), Samyak Jnana (Rational Knowledge) and


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Image of a Siddha: the soul who

attains Moksa; although the

Siddhas (the liberated beings) are

formless and without a body, this is

how the Jain temples often depict

the Siddhas.

Samyak Caritra (Rational Conduct) collectively also known as

Ratnatraya or the three Jewels of Jainism constitute true Dharma.

According to Umasvati, Samyak Darsana, Jnana Caritra together

constitutes mokṣamarga or the path to liberation.[4]

Samyak Darsana or rational perception is the rational faith in the true

nature of every substance of the universe. [5]

Samyak Jnana or rational knowledge is the right knowledge of true and

relevant knowledge of the reality, the tattvas. It incorporates the two

principles of Anekantvada or non-absolutism and Syadvada or relativity

of truth. Right knowledge must be free from three main defects: doubt,

delusion, and indefiniteness

Samyak Caritra or rational conduct is the natural conduct of a (soul)

living being. It consists in following austerities, engaging in right

activities and observance of vows, carefulness and controls. [6] Once a

soul secures samyaktva, mokṣa is assured within a few lifetimes.

Kevala Jnana

Main article: Kevala Jnana

Kevala Jñāna, the highest form of transcendental knowledge that a samyakdristi soul can attain, also means

“absolute knowledge”, “Enlightenment” and “Omniscience” . Kevala is the state of isolation of the j ī va from

the aj ī va attained through ascetic practices which burn off one's karmic residues, releasing one from bondage

to the cycle of death and rebirth. Kevala Jñāna, thus means infinite knowledge of self and non-self, attained

by a soul after annihilation of the all ghātiyā karmas. Such is person who has attained Kevala Jñāna is called

a Kevali. He is also known as Jina (the victor) or Arhat (the worthy one) and worshipped as a god by theJains. The soul who has reached this stage achieves mokṣa at the end of his life span, after annihilation of

the aghātiyā karmas.

Nirvāṇa

Main article: Nirvana (Jainism)

Nirvāṇa means final release from the karmic bondage. When an enlightened human, such as, an Arhat or a

Tirthankara extinguishes his remaining aghatiya karmas and thus ends his worldly existence, it is called

nirvāṇa. Technically, the death of an Arhat is called nirvāṇa of Arhat, as he has ended his wordly existenceand attained liberation. Moksa, that is to say, liberation follows nirvāṇa. However, the terms moksa and

nirvana are often used interchangeably in the Jain texts.[7][8]

An Arhat becomes a siddha, the liberated one,

after attaining nirvana.

Jainism

Nirvana (Jainism)

Moksa

kevala Jnana

Gunasthana


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^ Varni, Jinendra; Ed. Prof. Sagarmal Jain, Translated Justice T.K. Tukol and Dr. K.K. Dixit (1993). Samaṇ

Suttaṁ . New Delhi: Bhagwan Mahavir memorial Samiti.

1.

^ Jacobi, Hermann; Ed. F. Max Müller (1895). Uttaradhyayana Sutra, Jain Sutras Part II, Sacred Books of the

East, Vol. 45 (http://www.sacred-texts.com/jai/sbe45/index.htm) . Oxford: The Clarendon Press.

http://www.sacred-texts.com/jai/sbe45/index.htm.

2.

^ Jaini, Padmanabh (2000). "Chapter 5. Bhavyata and Abhavyata : A Jaina Doctrine of 'Predestination'".

Collected Papers on Jaina Studies. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publ.. ISBN 81-208-1691-9.

3.

^ Kuhn, Hermann (2001). Karma, The Mechanism : Create Your Own Fate. Wunstorf, Germany: Crosswind

Publishing. ISBN 3-9806211-4-6.

4.

^ Jaini, Padmanabh (1998). The Jaina Path of Purification. New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.

ISBN 81-208-1578-5.

5.

^ *Varni, Jinendra; Ed. Prof. Sagarmal Jain, Translated Justice T.K. Tukol and Dr. K.K. Dixit (1993). Samaṇ

Suttaṁ . New Delhi: Bhagwan Mahavir memorial Samiti. Verse 262 - 4

6.

^ Jaini, Padmanabh (2000). Collected Papers on Jaina Studies. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publ..

ISBN 81-208-1691-9.: "Moksa and Nirvana are synonymous in Jainism". p.168

7.

^ Michael Carrithers, Caroline Humphrey (1991) The Assembly of listeners: Jains in society Cambridge

University Press. ISBN-0521365058: "Nirvana: A synonym for liberation, release, moksa." p.297

8.

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