On the auspicious occasion of Buddha Purnima, a beautiful Buddhist quotation:

अप्प दीवो भव
appa dīvo bhava
Be your own lamp.

The Jain dharma is the dharma of the soul. All souls have the capability of attaining omniscience. The Jinas emphasise that each soul must make its own enlightened efforts to attain liberation. No outside agent can help or harm it. Each living being must grapple with its own set of karmas, conquer its passions, and get rid of delusion. It is an internal, intensely personal process, and each soul will have to be its own guru.

The Jain Ācārya Kundakunda has said something similar:

अप्पा सो परमप्पा
appā so paramappā
Each soul is supreme.

This statement refers to the potential of each soul to attain liberation through its own enlightened efforts and focus. Every soul has the potential of attaining liberation. Souls remain in transmigration not because they lack the capability, but because they do not make the effort required to break the shackles of karmas. Liberation requires constant and vigilant efforts to attain samyagdarśana (self-realisation), for delusion is hard to overcome. Wrong beliefs, anger, pride, deceit, greed, lethargy, and a lack of conscientiousness only strengthen delusion and make it harder to cast off.

Bonded Soul versus Liberated Soul

The bonded soul, fettered by karmas, suffers misery owing to its presence in saṃsāra. The free soul enjoys lasting bliss as it is unencumbered by karmas. Yet, qualitatively, both souls are the same. They possess the same attributes and are equally capable of attaining liberation. One has made the effort and attained it; the other is still wandering in transmigration.

~ In peace,
Manish

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