Can a jain monk get liberation in this life time?
Short answer: No. In Jainism, final liberation (moksha) is the destruction of all karma and the soul’s release from all rebirths. This occurs when the soul leaves the body in Siddhashila, after having shed all karmas. A living Jain monk can achieve spiritual progress and even omniscience (kevala jnana), but moksha is realized only at the time of death.
Key points:
- A monk can practice the ideal path (nonviolence, ascetic discipline) to reduce karma and purify the soul.
- Kevala jnana (omniscience) is possible for a jiva, but it does not by itself end rebirth; complete karma shedding and final release happen when the body dies.
- There are no living beings who are fully liberated; liberation is the state of a soul residing in Siddhashila after death.
- Digambar and Shwetambar traditions both hold that moksha is attained after the shedding of all karmas; their emphasis on the path may differ in details, but the core doctrine remains the same.
If you’d like, I can explain how Digambar and Shwetambar views differ on practice (like practices of penance, monk-hood, and paths to purity) in a simple way.