Answer

Jains pray to the Arihants, Siddhas, Acharyas, Upadhyays, and Sadhus. Together, they are called the Panch Parmesthi — the five supreme spiritual beings.

Explanation

In Jain Dharma, prayer is not asking a creator God for favors. Jain prayer is mainly for:

• Respect
• Inspiration
• Purification of thoughts
• Developing virtues like non-violence, truth, humility, and self-control

The most important Jain prayer is the Navkar Mantra, which bows to:

• Arihants — enlightened beings who have conquered inner passions
• Siddhas — liberated souls free from karma and rebirth
• Acharyas — spiritual heads of the Jain monk community
• Upadhyays — teachers of Jain scriptures
• Sadhus/Sadhvis — monks and nuns practicing the path of liberation

Jains also worship and remember the 24 Tirthankars, especially Bhagwan Mahavir, Bhagwan Parshvanath, Bhagwan Rishabhdev, and others.

Spiritual Understanding

Jains pray to those who have purified their souls and shown the path to liberation. The purpose is to awaken the same qualities within ourselves.

Takeaway

Jains do not pray to a creator God. They pray with reverence to liberated and spiritually advanced souls as ideals for their own spiritual progress.