Let us try to know Jain Philosophy

Jain Philosophy:

Philosophy:

Main article: Jain philosophy

1. Soul and karma:

Main article: Karma in Jainism

According to Jains, souls are intrinsically pure and possess the qualities of infinite knowledge, infinite perception, infinite bliss and infinite energy in their ideal state. In reality, however, these qualities are found to be obstructed due to the soul's association with a substance calledkarma. The ultimate goal in Jainism is to obtain moksha, which means liberation or salvation of the soul completely freeing it from karmic bondage.

The relationship between the soul and karma is explained by the analogy of gold. Gold is always found mixed with impurities in its natural state. Similarly, the ideal, pure state of the soul is always mixed with the impurities of karma. Just like gold, purification of the soul may be achieved if the proper methods of refining are applied. The Jain karmic theory is used to attach responsibility to individual action and is cited to explain inequalities, sufferings and pain.

2.Three gems:

Main article: Ratnatraya

The following three gems of Jainism lay down the path to achieve liberation of the soul (moksha).

1. Right View (Samyak Darshana) - Having the right perception and seeking the truth while avoiding preconceptions that get in the way of seeing things clearly.
2. Right Knowledge (Samyak Gyana) - Having the right knowledge of Jain principles.
3. Right Conduct (Samyak Charitra) - Applying Jain principles to your life.

3. God:

Main article: God in Jainism

Image of Rishabha, first tīrthaṅkara of the present Avsarpini era (Photo - Kundalpur, Madhya Pradesh)

Jainism rejects the idea of a creator or destroyer god and postulates that the universe is eternal. Jainism believes every soul has the potential for salvation and to become god. In Jainism, perfect souls with body are called Arihantas (victors) and perfect souls without the body are called Siddhas (liberated souls). Tirthankara is an Arihanta who help others in achieving liberation. Jainism has been described as a transtheistic religion,^[35] as it does not teach the dependency on any supreme being for enlightenment. The tirthankara is a guide and teacher who points the way to enlightenment, but the struggle for enlightenment is one's own.

• Arihanta (Jina)- A human being who conquers all inner passions and possesses infinite knowledge (Kevala Jnana). They are also known as Kevalins (omniscient beings). There are two kinds of Arihantas 

1. Sāmānya (Ordinary victors) - Kevalins who are concerned with their own salvation.
2. Tirthankara - Tīrthaṅkara literally means a 'ford-maker', or a founder of salvation teaching. They propagate and revitalize the Jain faith and become role-models for those seeking spiritual guidance. They reorganise the fourfold order (chaturvidha sangha) that consists of monks (śramana), nuns (śramani), male followers (srāvaka) and female followers (śravaika). Jains believe that exactly twenty-four tirthankaras are born in each half cycle of time (Jain cosmology). The last tirthankara, Mahavira and his predecessor Parsvanatha are historical figures whose existence is recorded.

Siddhas (the liberated beings), although they are formless, this is how they are depicted in Jain temples

• Siddha- Siddhas are Arihantas who attain salvation (moksha) and dwell in Siddhashila with infinite bliss, infinite perception, infinite knowledge and infinite energy.

4. Tattva:

Jain metaphysics is based on seven or nine fundamentals which are known as tattva, which attempt to explain the nature of the human predicament and to provide solutions for the ultimate goal of liberation of the soul (moksha):

1. Jīva: The essence of living beings is called jiva, a substance which is different from the body that houses it. Consciousness, knowledge and perception are its fundamental attributes.
2. Ajīva: Non-living entities that consist of matter, space and time.
3. Asrava: The interaction between jīva and ajīva causes the influx of karma (a particular form of ajiva) into the soul.
4. Bandha: The karma masks the jiva and restricts it from having its true potential of perfect knowledge and perception.
5. Saṃvara: Through right conduct, it is possible to stop the influx of additional karma.
6. Nirjarā: By performing asceticism, it is possible to discard the existing karma.
7. Mokṣa: The liberated jiva which has removed its karma and is said to have the pure, intrinsic quality of perfect knowledge and perception.

Some authors add two additional categories: the meritorious (puńya) and demeritorious (pāpa) acts related to karma.

5. Syādvāda:

Mahāvīra employed anekāntaextensively to explain Jain philosophical concepts (painting fromRajasthan, ca. 1900)

Syādvāda is the doctrine extending from anekantavada (non-absolutism). This recommends the expression of anekānta by prefixing the epithet syād to every phrase or expression.^[43] The Sanskrit etymological root of the term syād is "perhaps" or "maybe", but in the context of syādvāda it means "in some ways" or "from some perspective." As reality is complex, no single proposition can express its full nature. The term syāt- should therefore be prefixed to each proposition, giving it a conditional point of view and thus removing dogmatism from the statement. There are seven conditioned propositions (saptibhaṅgī) in syādvāda as follows:

1. syād-asti—in some ways, it is;
2. syād-nāsti—in some ways, it is not;
3. syād-asti-nāsti—in some ways, it is, and it is not;
4. syād-asti-avaktavyaḥ—in some ways, it is, and it is indescribable;
5. syād-nāsti-avaktavyaḥ—in some ways, it is not, and it is indescribable;
6. syād-asti-nāsti-avaktavyaḥ—in some ways, it is, it is not, and it is indescribable;
7. syād-avaktavyaḥ—in some ways, it is indescribable.

Each of these seven propositions examines the complex and multifaceted nature of reality from a relative point of view of time, space, substance and mode. To ignore the complexity of reality is to commit the fallacy of dogmatism.

Nayavāda is the theory of partial standpoints or viewpoints. Nayavāda is a compound of two Sanskrit words: naya ("partial viewpoint") and vada ("school of thought or debate"). It is used to arrive at a certain inference from a point of view. Every object has infinite aspects, but when we describe one in practice, we speak only of relevant aspects and ignore the irrelevant. Nayavāda holds that philosophical disputes arise out of confusion of standpoints, and the standpoints we adopt are "the outcome of purposes that we may pursue"— although we may not realize it. While operating within the limits of language and perceiving the complex nature of reality, Māhavīra used the language of nayas. Naya, being a partial expression of truth, enables us to comprehend reality part by part.

Non-absolutism (anēkāntavāda) is more formally stated by observing that objects are infinite in their qualities and modes of existence, so they cannot be completely grasped in all aspects and manifestations by finite human perception. Only Kevalins (omniscient beings) can comprehend objects in all aspects and manifestations; others are only capable of partial knowledge. Accordingly, no single, specific, human view can claim to represent absolute truth.

6. Gunasthana:

Main article: Gunasthana

According to Jainism, the soul can gradually attain liberation (moksha) by guiding it through the following fourteen stages (gunasthana):

#	Quality	Stage name
01	Wrong believer	mithya-drishti
02	One who has a slight taste of right belief	sasvadana-samyagdrsti
03	Mixed belief	misradrsti
04	True belief but no self-discipline	avirata-samyagdrsti
05	Partial self-control	desavirata
06	Complete self-discipline with some negligence	pramatta-samyata
07	Complete self-control without negligence	apramatta samyata
08	Gross occurrence of passions	nivrtti badra samparaya
09	Utilizing meditation to further minimize passions	annivrtti badara samparaya
10	Subtle occurrence of passions	suksama samparaya
11	Every passion is suppressed but still does not possess omniscience	upasana kasaya vitaraga chadmasta
12	Every passion is annihilated but still does not yet possess omniscience	ksina kasay vitaraga chadmasta
13	Omniscience (Kevala Jnana) with activity	sayogi kevalin
14	Omniscience without any activity	ayogi kevalin