who are the gods in jainism
In Jainism, there are no creator gods who rule the universe. The divine beings you hear about are as follows:
- Arihants and Tirthankaras (Jinas): Enlightened souls who have destroyed all passions. They may still have a body (Arihant) or be liberated without a body (Siddha) and dwell in Siddhashila. They are revered as teachers and role models, not as creators. The 24th Tirthankara Mahavira is the best known example.
- Siddha: A liberated soul with no body, living in Siddhashila, full of infinite bliss, knowledge, and perception. They do not intervene in the world.
- Devas (gods) and Devis: Heavenly beings who have earned merit in past lives. They reside in heavens for long periods but are still bound by karma and can be reborn. They are not creators or rulers of the cosmos and are not worshipped as such in Jain practice; devotion is aimed at qualities (like truth, non-violence) and the goal of liberation, not at obtaining favors from them.
There are two traditions with slight differences:
- Digambaras generally do not view any god as the creator or governor of the universe; Ishvara, if mentioned, is seen as a perfected soul rather than a creator.
- Śvetāmbaras sometimes speak of a supreme, perfectly enlightened being (Ishvara) but still not as a creator; the cosmos and karmic order are primary.
You can read more on Jain views about God and divine beings here