The path to moksha feels difficult because, in Jainism, it asks us to change the deepest habits of the soul built up over countless births. In simple points:

1. Very old karmic load (anādi bandha)

- Our soul has been collecting karma from beginningless time. - These karmas create strong tendencies: anger, pride, deceit, greed, attachment, aversion. - Going against these deep habits naturally feels hard.

1. Going against sense-pleasures and attachment

- The world constantly pulls us toward comfort, taste, wealth, praise, relationships. - Moksha-marg asks for vairāgya (detachment) and aparigraha (non‑possessiveness). - Letting go of attachment to body, people, and things is painful for an untrained mind.

1. Three Jewels must come together

Moksha is only through samyak darshan, samyak jñān, samyak chāritra (Right Faith, Right Knowledge, Right Conduct). ( jainknowledge.com) - Not enough to just “believe”, or just “know”, or just “behave well” – all three must be pure. - Getting all three in true form, and maintaining them, is a very high inner discipline.

1. Control of inner passions (kaṣhāyas)

- Even a little anger, ego, cheating, or greed can bring in heavy karma. - Truly reducing and finally destroying these passions needs lifelong vigilance, pratikraman, tapas, and dhyān. ( jainknowledge.com)

1. Strict ethical and spiritual discipline

- For monks: mahāvratas, severe austerities, total celibacy, no possessions. - For laypeople: anuvratas, extra vows, fasting, regular pratikraman, careful ahimsā in every step. - Compared to ordinary life, this looks “too strict”, so many people don’t even start seriously.

1. Subtlety of true Right Faith

- Not just saying “I believe in Jainism,” but a deep, unshakable conviction about soul, karma, and Tīrthankar’s path. - Doubt, wrong beliefs, or spiritual laziness keep breaking this.

1. Purushārtha is individual – no external “shortcut”

- In Jainism, there is no creator God who “grants” moksha by grace; each soul must purify itself. ( jainknowledge.com) - This makes the path look difficult, because everything depends on one’s own effort.

1. Highest state needs total karma-destruction

- Moksha comes only when all karmas are destroyed, not just reduced. ( jainknowledge.com) - Reaching this complete purity is naturally rare and thus seems very hard.

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But remember:

• Jain scriptures say every soul has the same pure nature as a Tirthankara.
• The path is difficult, but not impossible; it becomes easier step‑by‑step: good saṅg, small vows, daily pratikraman, simple tapas, and gradually more detachment.

If you wish to read more about moksha and the path, you can see:

• “What is moshk / moksh”
• “How to achieve moksh”