Who is Arihant?

The term Arihant is made up of Ari, meaning enemies, and hant, meaning destroyer. Consequently, Arihant means destroyer of all internal enemies such as anger, greed, ego, and deceit. Once a soul has shed all of its four defiling (ghäti) karma namely Jnänavarniya (Knowledge obscuring) Karma, Darshanävarniya (Perception obscuring) karma, Mohniya (Deluding) Karma and Antaräya (Obstructive) Karma, and who had earned Tirthankar Näm Karma in his/her previous third life becomes a Tirthankar. He/she is also called Tirthankar. These Tirthankars reinstate the Jain Sangh (four-fold Jain Order) consisting of Sädhus (monks), Sädhvis (nuns), Shrävaks (male householders), and Shrävikäs (female householders).