Answer

In Jain Dharma, both Arihant and Siddha are liberated or spiritually perfected souls, but there is one main difference:

• Arihant is a perfected soul who has destroyed the four destructive karmas but is still living in a body.
• Siddha is a fully liberated soul who has destroyed all karmas and no longer has a body.

Explanation

Arihant means a soul who has conquered inner enemies such as attachment, aversion, anger, pride, deceit, and greed. An Arihant has attained Keval Jnan — perfect knowledge — and teaches the path of liberation.

An Arihant still has:

• A physical body
• Remaining non-destructive karmas
• Life in the world until final liberation

Siddha is a soul who has completely ended the cycle of birth and death. After an Arihant’s lifespan ends, all remaining karmas are destroyed, and the soul becomes a Siddha.

A Siddha has:

• No body
• No karma
• No birth or death
• Infinite knowledge, perception, bliss, and energy

Spiritual Understanding

Arihants show us the path while living in the world. Siddhas represent the final goal of the soul.

That is why in the Namokar Mantra, we bow first to Arihants and then to Siddhas:

• Namo Arihantanam — I bow to the Arihants
• Namo Siddhanam — I bow to the Siddhas

Takeaway

Arihant is the living enlightened teacher.
Siddha is the completely liberated soul beyond the body.