what was every science related thing the Tīrthaṅkaras were made aware of from attaining omniscience that was thought to be necessary for liberation?
In Jain Dharma, this kind of question has to be answered very carefully, because:
- Tīrthaṅkaras are sarvajña (omniscient) after kevalajñāna.
- Their knowledge is infinite, but
- For liberation only a certain type of knowledge is relevant, not “every science” in the modern sense.
So we cannot give a list like: physics, chemistry, biology, etc., as “required for moksha.” Jain scriptures do not present such a list.
Below is what can be said accurately and traditionally.
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1. What Tīrthaṅkaras know after kevalajñāna
After kevalajñāna, a Tīrthaṅkara knows:
- All substances (dravya) in the universe
- All modes (paryāya) of these substances
- All kinds of worldly arts and sciences
In other words: nothing remains unknown to a kevalī. This is common to both Digambar and Śvetāmbara traditions, though details of explanation differ.
But this is total knowledge, not a syllabus for liberation.
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2. What knowledge is considered necessary for liberation
For moksha, Jain Dharma emphasizes right knowledge of tattvas (fundamental principles), not technical sciences.
The essential “science for liberation” is:
(a) Three Jewels (ratnatraya)
- Samyak-darśan – right faith (right perception of reality)
- Samyak-jñān – right knowledge
- Samyak-cāritra – right conduct
Right knowledge here means: clear, non-deluded understanding of soul, karma, bondage, and liberation, etc.
(b) Tattvas (7 or 9 fundamentals)
Usually listed as:
- Jīva – soul
- Ajīva – non-soul (matter, karmic matter, space, etc.)
- Āsrava – inflow of karma
- Bandha – bondage of karma
- Saṃvara – stoppage of karma
- Nirjarā – shedding of karma
- Mokṣa – liberation
Some traditions add:
- Puṇya – merit
- Pāpa – demerit
Understanding these correctly is considered necessary and sufficient from the side of knowledge.
(c) Additional “liberation-relevant” topics Tīrthaṅkaras teach
The Tīrthaṅkara’s omniscience includes everything, but in pravachan they focus on:
- Nature of jīva and its inherent qualities (upayoga – consciousness, etc.)
- Detailed karma theory (types, bondage, duration, intensity, fruition)
- Guṇasthāna (14 stages of spiritual development)
- Vows, restraints, and discipline for:
- Loka-vyāpāra (structure of the universe) mainly as needed to show:
- Right conduct:
These topics are sometimes called jain-tattva-vidyā – you may loosely think of this as “spiritual science” in Jainism.
But they are always directed to karmakṣaya (destruction of karma), not to improving worldly life.
You can read a simple overview of Tīrthaṅkaras and their qualities here
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3. Are worldly sciences required for liberation?
No. According to Jain Dharma:
- A person can attain liberation even without knowing:
- What is indispensable is:
Worldly sciences are:
- Known to a Tīrthaṅkara because His knowledge is infinite.
- Sometimes used (for example, speaking in many languages at once, knowing appropriate examples from all fields).
- But not counted as a condition for moksha.
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4. So, can we list “every science-related thing” they were made aware of for liberation?
From the Jain scriptural point of view:
- They are aware of all sciences without limit.
- Scriptures do not isolate and list each “science topic” required for moksha.
- Instead, they repeatedly say:
So a complete list, as your question asks, is actually infinite and not given in any Jain text. The tradition very clearly shifts the focus from “how much you know” in a worldly or scientific sense to “whether your knowledge is right, non-deluded, and applied as right conduct”.
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In simple words:
- Tīrthaṅkaras know everything that can be known.
- For our liberation, what matters is right Jain tattva-gyān and right conduct, not mastering “sciences” in the modern sense.