an Anyaliṅga Siddha: for instance, the famous ascetic, Valkalaċīri, who never professed the Jaina creed, became a Siddha of this class. Those who follow the usual path and find deliverance by way of asceticism are called Svaliṅga Siddha.
The dwellers in mokṣa are also classified according to their previous sex into Pūlliṅga Siddha, who were formerly men; Strīliṅga Siddha, who were women, and Napuṁsakaliṅga Siddha, who during their past life were neuters.
Again they are divided according to the influences that led them to become Siddha. If it was their own gurus who influenced them, they became Buddhabohī Siddha; if it was some particular thing, Pratyekabuddha Siddha, and if it was of their own notion without any outside influence, Svayamhuddha Siddha. They are also classified according to whether they proceeded to mokṣa by themselves, as Eka Siddha; whereas, if in the same samaya one hundred and eight went together, they are called Aneka Siddha.
The Siddha, though they are the highest class of jīva, are never worshipped, although the Tīrthaṅkara are. When one asks the reason why the same Being should be worshipped in his unperfected and not in his perfected state, even the non-idolatrous Jaina give as the reason that the jīva who has reached Siddhahood has no longer a body, and that it is impossible to worship or pray to a bodiless soul. The answer is intensely suggestive, bearing witness as it does to the materialistic influence of idol-worship on all sects of the Jaina. Jaina are, therefore, very interested in the entirely opposite idea that is expressed in our Lord’s saying that God is a spirit, and they that worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.[1]
It is illuminating also to contrast the Jaina idea of heaven with that of the Hindus: both use the same words, such as mokṣa and nirvāṇa, and both think of the highest state as attained by those who have completely stultified their personality, and who are not perfected characters but
- ↑ St. John iv. 24.
