Pathways to Peace: Siddha in Jainism and the Process of Becoming in Process Philosophy

The Process philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead and Jain philosophy converge on their perspectives of interconnectedness and the nature of ultimate reality. Whitehead's Process philosophy views reality as dynamically interrelated, with peace being a process of becoming and an intuition of permanence. This resonates with Jainism's concept of mokṣa (liberation), where the soul attains the permanent state of a siddha, free from karmic material yet undergoing origination and destruction while maintaining permanence. Both philosophies emphasize the dipolar nature of existence—Whitehead’s primordial and consequent nature of God, and Jainism’s dravyārthika (substantial) and paryāyārthika (modal) viewpoints of substances. Furthermore, Whitehead's prehensions and Jain meditation (śukla dhyāna) highlight transformative experiences that foster deeper connectedness to reality. This paper argues that despite differences in their notions of soul and liberation, Process philosophy and Jainism share profound parallels, suggesting a complementary understanding of interconnectedness, the process of becoming, and the creative unfolding of existence.