Several days passed after the incident with Arihant's father.
The house had become quieter than usual. His father spent most of the time resting, while his mother carefully managed the daily work that had once depended on him.
For Arihant, life had entered a new phase.
He now carried responsibilities that he had never faced before. He helped in the fields, bought supplies from the town, and took care of small household matters.
Yet despite the new responsibilities, he continued his daily practice.
Every morning before sunrise, he sat silently on the rooftop, observing his breath and his thoughts.
Some days his mind felt calm.
Other days it was restless again.
But slowly, he began to notice something important.
Even when problems appeared in life, his mind no longer reacted as quickly as before.
There was a small space between the event and his reaction.
And inside that space, he felt a quiet awareness.
---
One evening, Arihant returned to the library.
The old man was sitting in his usual place, reading an ancient-looking book.
"You seem different today," the old man said as Arihant approached.
"Different?" Arihant asked.
"Yes," the old man replied. "More stable."
Arihant sat down.
"The meditation helps," he admitted. "But life is still complicated."
The old man smiled slightly.
"That is because understanding the mind is only the beginning of the journey."
Arihant leaned forward with curiosity.
"What comes next?"
The old man closed the book slowly.
"To walk the path of spiritual liberation, one must understand three essential principles."
"Which principles?" Arihant asked.
The old man spoke calmly.
"They are known as the Three Jewels of Jainism."
Arihant listened carefully.
"These three jewels guide a soul toward freedom from the cycle of birth and death."
The old man raised three fingers.
"First—Right Faith."
He continued explaining.
"Right faith means trusting the existence of truth. It is the ability to see that the soul is real, karma is real, and liberation is possible."
Arihant nodded slowly.
"So it begins with belief?"
"Not blind belief," the old man corrected. "It begins with clear understanding."
He raised his second finger.
"Second—Right Knowledge."
"What does that mean?" Arihant asked.
"It means understanding reality correctly," the old man replied.
"Learning the nature of the soul, karma, and the path toward Moksha."
Arihant thought about all the conversations they had already had.
Each discussion had slowly expanded his understanding of life.
Finally, the old man raised his third finger.
"The third jewel is Right Conduct."
Arihant waited for the explanation.
"Right conduct means living according to truth," the old man said.
"It means controlling harmful thoughts, actions, and desires."
Arihant reflected on this.
"Right faith… right knowledge… and right conduct," he repeated.
The old man nodded.
"These three together form the path that leads a soul toward becoming an Arihant."
"And eventually a Siddha," Arihant added.
The old man smiled.
"You are learning quickly."
---
Arihant remained silent for a moment.
Then he asked a question that had been quietly growing in his mind.
"Why are you teaching me all this?"
The old man looked at him carefully.
"Because you asked the right questions."
"That cannot be the only reason," Arihant said.
The old man stood up and walked toward the window.
Outside, the sun was slowly disappearing behind the hills.
"For many years," the old man said quietly, "I searched for someone who truly wanted to understand life."
Arihant waited.
"But most people only want comfort," the old man continued. "They do not want truth."
He turned back toward Arihant.
"But you are different."
Arihant felt both honored and uncertain.
"I am still confused about many things," he admitted.
"That is normal," the old man said. "Confusion is the beginning of wisdom."
---
Before leaving the library, Arihant asked one final question.
"If someone truly follows the Three Jewels, how long does it take to reach liberation?"
The old man laughed softly.
"That depends on the person."
"Years?" Arihant asked.
"Perhaps."
"Decades?"
"Maybe."
"Or lifetimes?"
The old man nodded.
"For most souls, the journey takes many lifetimes."
The answer did not discourage Arihant.
Instead, it made the path feel even more meaningful.
Some journeys were not meant to be short.
They were meant to transform the soul completely.
---
That night, Arihant returned home and sat quietly beside his sleeping father.
The room was calm.
For the first time, Arihant felt that his life had a direction.
Not a simple destination like wealth or status.
But a deeper purpose.
He quietly repeated the Three Jewels in his mind:
Right Faith.
Right Knowledge.
Right Conduct.
Somewhere in the distant future, those principles could lead a soul toward ultimate freedom.
Toward becoming a liberated Siddh.
And Arihant had now taken another step along that path.