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Why do the Jain scriptures say that women cannot attain liberation?

Liberation is not bound by biological sex; it is the alignment of one's inner polarity with the path of surrender that leads to moksha.

— Osho
According to Osho, Jain scriptures declare women cannot attain liberation because Jain sadhana arises from a 'masculine' mind (aggressive, ascetic, will-based), so it cannot imagine feminine surrender achieving moksha. In Mahavira's lineage a woman must be reborn male to undertake that method. By contrast, Krishna's path is 'feminine' (surrender), so even men become inwardly feminine. Scriptures mirror their path's psychology; liberation depends on matching inner polarity to method, not biological sex.

They reflect a tough, willpower path suited to a masculine mindset, so they assumed women couldn’t do it; other paths of loving surrender say the opposite—so it’s about inner style, not gender.

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