Answer

In Jainism, Siddhas are liberated souls who have completely destroyed all karmas and attained moksha. They no longer take birth, have no body, and live eternally in perfect knowledge, perception, bliss, and energy at the top of the universe, called Siddha-shila.

A notable Siddha means any soul who has attained liberation. However, Jain tradition especially remembers the 24 Tirthankars as the most well-known liberated Siddhas after their nirvana.

Notable Siddhas in Jain Tradition

The most notable Siddhas are the 24 Tirthankars:

• 1. Rishabhanatha / Adinath Bhagwan
• 2. Ajitanatha Bhagwan
• 3. Sambhavanatha Bhagwan
• 4. Abhinandananatha Bhagwan
• 5. Sumatinatha Bhagwan
• 6. Padmaprabha Bhagwan
• 7. Suparshvanatha Bhagwan
• 8. Chandraprabha Bhagwan
• 9. Pushpadanta / Suvidhinatha Bhagwan
• 10. Shitalanatha Bhagwan
• 11. Shreyansanatha Bhagwan
• 12. Vasupujya Bhagwan
• 13. Vimalanatha Bhagwan
• 14. Anantanatha Bhagwan
• 15. Dharmanatha Bhagwan
• 16. Shantinatha Bhagwan
• 17. Kunthunatha Bhagwan
• 18. Aranatha Bhagwan
• 19. Mallinatha Bhagwan
• 20. Munisuvrata Bhagwan
• 21. Naminatha Bhagwan
• 22. Neminatha Bhagwan
• 23. Parshvanatha Bhagwan
• 24. Mahavira Bhagwan

Explanation

In Jain Dharma, a Siddha is not a creator god or ruler of the world. A Siddha is a soul that has reached its purest state by removing:

• Ghati karmas such as knowledge-obscuring and perception-obscuring karmas
• Aghati karmas such as body, lifespan, status, and feeling-producing karmas

After liberation, the Siddha has:

• Ananta Jnan — infinite knowledge
• Ananta Darshan — infinite perception
• Ananta Sukha — infinite bliss
• Ananta Virya — infinite energy

Other Liberated Souls

Besides the 24 Tirthankars, countless other souls have become Siddhas. Jain tradition also reveres liberated souls such as:

• Ganadhars who attained moksha
• Kevalis who attained liberation
• Great monks and nuns who destroyed all karmas
• Countless unnamed liberated souls

However, once liberated, all Siddhas are spiritually equal in purity and perfection. The Tirthankars are especially notable because they re-established the Jain Sangha and taught the path to liberation.

Spiritual Understanding

Jains bow to Siddhas in the Namokar Mantra with the words:

Namo Siddhāṇam

This means: “I bow to the Siddhas.”

This reverence is not for worldly favors, but for their perfected state. Siddhas represent the final goal of every soul: complete freedom from karma, birth, death, attachment, and suffering.

Takeaway

The Siddhas are the liberated, perfected souls of Jainism. The 24 Tirthankars are the most well-known Siddhas, but Jain Dharma teaches that countless souls have attained Siddhahood, and every soul has the potential to become a Siddha through right faith, right knowledge, and right conduct.