Answer

In Jain Dharma, a soul cannot reach Siddha-shila / Moksha, the highest state at the top of the universe, without true renunciation and destruction of karma.

If a “good soul” lives with virtue but does not practice asceticism or renunciation, the highest it may reach is generally a heavenly state among Devas, depending on its punya karma. But heaven is still within saṃsāra, not liberation.

Explanation

Jain cosmology describes the universe in three broad regions:

• Adho-loka – lower world
• Madhya-loka – middle world, where humans live
• Urdhva-loka – upper world, the heavenly realms

A virtuous person who practices charity, compassion, honesty, devotion, and good conduct may bind puṇya karma. This can lead to birth in higher realms, including heavenly realms of Urdhva-loka.

However, Jain Dharma teaches that:

• Heavenly birth is not Moksha.
• Devas still have karmas.
• They still experience birth and death.
• They must eventually return within saṃsāra.

To reach liberation, the soul must destroy all ghāti and aghāti karmas. This requires right faith, right knowledge, right conduct, and ultimately deep renunciation, restraint, meditation, and tapas.

Spiritual Understanding

Goodness creates auspicious karma, but auspicious karma is still karma. It can give happiness, higher birth, and heavenly life, but it does not free the soul completely.

Ascetic discipline in Jain Dharma is not merely outer hardship. Its true purpose is:

• control of passions,
• non-attachment,
• stoppage of new karma,
• shedding of old karma,
• purification of the soul.

Without this inner purification, the soul may rise high in Urdhva-loka, but it cannot become a Siddha.

Takeaway

A good soul without ascetic practice may attain heavenly birth in Urdhva-loka through punya, but the highest state—Moksha at Siddha-shila—is attained only through complete purification, renunciation, and destruction of all karma.