ABSTRACT
Once a Jina is enlightened or liberated, responding to a devotee would compromise their perfect detachment and so for Jains prayer is a complex question. In some senses, prayer appears to be pointless and yet Jains do pray. Though Jains do direct prayers toward unenlightened beings and use mantras that do not require divine intervention, the prayer thast illuminates the questions around prayer are personal and devotional prayer. Examination of the stories of Candanbālā and Rājīmatī illustrate well the importance of sentiment and intention in devotion and this translates well to Jain prayer practices. Jain prayer presents us with a fruitful locus for examining Jain responses to theological challenges about the nature of enlightenment and the ways that enlightened beings interact with their devotees.
