Jainism · Acharya Umaswati
The one text accepted by Digambara and Svetambara Jains alike: the whole Jain path in short Sanskrit sutras.
सम्यग्दर्शनज्ञानचारित्राणि मोक्षमार्गः
Awaiting review by a scholar of this tradition. Original texts are public domain; the plain meanings and notes are written by IndiaDigital and are being checked. We describe what each tradition teaches, in its own terms, and never rank faiths. Report a correction
The last chapter describes moksha, liberation. When deluding karma and then the other obscuring karmas are destroyed, the soul gains kevala jnana, omniscience; when all karma (the subtle matter bound to the soul) is gone, it is liberated. Jains believe the liberated soul rises at once to the summit of the universe and remains there in perfect knowledge, perception and bliss. The chapter closes by listing the ways in which liberated souls, the siddhas, can be studied.
मोहक्षयाज्ज्ञानदर्शनावरणान्तरायक्षयाच्च केवलम्
mohakṣayājjñānadarśanāvaraṇāntarāyakṣayācca kevalam
Omniscience (kevala jnana) arises when deluding karma is destroyed and then knowledge-obscuring, perception-obscuring and obstructive karma are destroyed.
बन्धहेत्वभावनिर्जराभ्यां कृत्स्नकर्मविप्रमोक्षो मोक्षः
bandhahetvabhāvanirjarābhyāṃ kṛtsnakarmavipramokṣo mokṣaḥ
Liberation (moksha) is complete release from all karma, through the absence of the causes of bondage and through shedding.
औपशमिकादिभव्यत्वानां च
aupaśamikādibhavyatvānāṃ ca
Also, the states from subsidence and the rest, and fitness for liberation (bhavyatva), come to an end.
अन्यत्र केवलसम्यक्त्वज्ञानदर्शनसिद्धत्वेभ्यः
anyatra kevalasamyaktvajñānadarśanasiddhatvebhyaḥ
Except perfect right faith, perfect knowledge, perfect perception and the state of perfection (siddhatva).
तदनन्तरमूर्ध्वं गच्छत्यालोकान्तात्
tadanantaramūrdhvaṃ gacchatyālokāntāt
Right after that, the soul rises upward to the very top of the universe.
पूर्वप्रयोगादसंगत्वाद्बन्धच्छेदात्तथागतिपरिणामाच्च
pūrvaprayogādasaṃgatvādbandhacchedāttathāgatipariṇāmācca
This is because of earlier impetus, freedom from attachment, the breaking of bonds, and the soul's natural upward movement.
आविद्धकुलालचक्रवद्व्यपगतलेपालाबुवदेरण्डबीजवदग्निशिखावच्च
āviddhakulālacakravadvyapagatalepālābuvaderaṇḍabījavadagniśikhāvacca
Like a potter's wheel that keeps turning after it is spun, a gourd that rises once its coat of mud is gone, a castor seed that springs from its pod, and a flame that rises upward.
धर्मास्तिकायाभावात्
dharmāstikāyābhāvāt
It goes no further because the medium of motion (dharmastikaya) does not exist beyond the universe.
क्षेत्रकालगतिलिंगतीर्थचारित्रप्रत्येकबुद्धबोधितज्ञानावगाहनान्तरसंख्याल्पबहुत्वतः साध्याः
kṣetrakālagatiliṃgatīrthacāritrapratyekabuddhabodhitajñānāvagāhanāntarasaṃkhyālpabahutvataḥ sādhyāḥ
The liberated can be studied by place, time, destiny, outward sign, Tirthankara era, conduct, whether self-awakened or taught, knowledge, body size, interval, number and relative quantity.
Sanskrit sutras: Sanskrit Wikisource (public domain), with clear digitisation errors corrected and listed in our build notes. Meanings, summaries and Navkar text: IndiaDigital, awaiting review by Digambara and Svetambara scholars. Sutra counts follow the Digambara recension; Svetambara texts number some sutras differently.
Corrections from members of every tradition are welcome at support@indiadigital.org. Last checked: .