Answer

In Jain Dharma, every soul does not have only one life. The soul is eternal and takes birth again and again according to its karma, until it destroys all karmas and attains liberation — moksha.

Tirthankars also had many previous births before their final birth as a Tirthankar. In that final human birth, they destroyed all karmas, attained keval jnan, taught the path of liberation, and at the end attained moksha.

Explanation

According to Jain philosophy:

• The body is temporary.
• The soul is eternal.
• Birth and death belong to the body, not to the soul.
• The soul continues its journey through many births because of karma.

A soul may be born in different forms, such as:

• Human beings
• Heavenly beings
• Hellish beings
• Animals, plants, or other life forms

This cycle is called samsar, the cycle of birth and death.

Tirthankars were not “ordinary gods” who were born only once. They were souls like all other souls, but through countless lives of spiritual effort, compassion, self-control, right faith, and great purity, they reached the highest state.

Their final birth is special because in that birth they become a Tirthankar and show the path of liberation to others.

Why does this happen?

In Jain Dharma, rebirth happens because of karma.

When a soul has attachment, anger, ego, deceit, greed, desires, and passions, it attracts karma. These karmas bind the soul and cause future births.

As long as karmas remain, the soul must continue taking birth.

When all karmas are destroyed, the soul becomes completely pure and is never born again. This is called moksha.

What about “we only get one life on earth”?

From the Jain viewpoint, we do not get only one life. We get one present human life right now, but the soul has had countless past lives and may have future lives unless it attains liberation.

So when people say “we only have one life,” Jain Dharma would understand that as: this particular human life is rare and precious, and we should not waste it.

Spiritual Understanding

The lives of Tirthankars teach us that liberation is not achieved by chance. It is achieved through purification of the soul over many lives.

But Jain Dharma also teaches that a human birth is especially valuable because only in human life can one properly practice:

• Right faith
• Right knowledge
• Right conduct
• Self-restraint
• Ahimsa
• Tapasya

Takeaway

Tirthankars had many births because their souls, like all souls, passed through the cycle of karma and rebirth. They became liberated only when all karmas were destroyed. Jain Dharma teaches that we too are eternal souls, and this human life is a rare opportunity to move toward moksha.