1.7. On the Path of Spiritual Upliftment

One may wonder when and how a jiva moves ahead on the path of spiritual advancement, how can the supreme spiritual stage, be depicted etc.?

‘Some form of ascending ‘scores’ can be connected to the idea of the spiritual advancement of individuals:

• At the main stage are the ascetics (sadhu) who should stroll on the otherworldly way with determination.

• Those at the second stage are the profound educators (upadhyaya) who have encountered reality.

• The third are the spiritual masters (acarya) who try to do they say others should do, being genuine experts.

• The fourth class (arihanta) is that of perfect living beings who have vanquished their inward adversaries.

• Those in the last class are unadulterated or freed spirits (Siddhas), which are a type of supreme vitality. The score for the freed soul is at the purpose of endlessness, as it has no impurity (not even body).’^[1]

We may not have an idea of whether something like liberation exists or not but the mere imagination of the blissful state of liberated souls fills one with immense peace. It would be amazing to achieve something like this through one’s intrinsic will!

How important it is to move onto the path of self-improvement through spirituality, the answer can be: when one person’s journey of self-introspection enhances, some other person, in some other corner of the universe gets prepared to embark on the same journey.

‘When one soul is freed from the cycle of resurrection, Jains trust that quickly another spirit from a low form of life shoots higher;this leads thusly to spirits in lower structures moving higher. In this way, in freeing ourselves we are helping a lower living form to ascend on the life-pivot. This chain-like pregression is a fascinating idea and seems, by all accounts, to be exceptional to Jain lessons.’^[2]

In the book ‘Many Lives Many Master’ the author Dr. Brian L. Weiss, struggled with some questions like are there souls in animals, if yes, are they the same souls like ours and can animals take birth as humans or any other life form?

‘For the Jain, all animate life is intact. Each creature has soul, known as jiva, from a moment one-celled amoeba virus, to the colossal redwood tree with its 36,000 cubic feet of life. The spirit is free, enriched with a solid character and individual predetermination. Each living being is fit for accomplishing salvation, satisfaction and must be permitted to proceed on its way. This all-inclusive regard is no mere gesture.’^[3]

But it expresses the honest wisdom of the universe and the soul’s intrinsic desire to know about all souls and to respect their right to live.

The whole purpose of getting educated, be it scriptural knowledge or otherwise, must be to raise a human’s level of intellect up to a plane where one respects each living being with same compassion, a hearty feeling of universal, unconditional love in each soul can transform our planet into an immensely positive direction.

‘A spirit supports itself through empathy. Empathy knows no limits, as the individual ceaselessly improves his or her scope of viability. Jainism advances a consistent extension of the cut-off points of compassion. Well ordered; step by step; at each occurrence, at each new chance. Jainism isn't about supernatural occurrences, or heroism, but practical solutions. The main arrangement happens in a person's spirit, the most risky of war zones. And keeping in mind that any talk of soul, and soul fulfilment, is probably going to recommend a type of narcissism, the Jains realize that spirits are in correspondence; that all spirits are similar; and that until you have your very own inward house all together, there is no point attempting to spare your neighbour. In the event that you can contact a straightforward bug with empathy, it is a little jump to think about a few hundred representatives.’^[4]

This nature of soul is different from altruism, Jainism do not talk about an imposed feeling of blind compassion but a level of realisation where every human is awakened to a state that he respects each life form’s individuality.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Ibid. pp. 92

[2]:

Ibid. pp. 108-109

[3]:

Tobias Michael. Life Force: The World of Jainism (LF). California, Jain Publishing Company. 1991. pp. 29

[4]:

Ibid. pp. 36, 37