[softy54534]

Neither does Advaita nor Jainism talk of a tainted, less than perfect, or a fallen Atman.

This is absolutely false claim. In Jainism, purification of the Soul/Atman is absolutely necessary.

In other words, it is the nature of the Spirit to get disentangled from matter. For this requisite purification of the soul is very necessary. Then the soul becomes a boadhisattva or Tirthankara. When a man becomes a boddhisattva, there is no mere spiritual degeneration to him. He does not commit evil or sin, on the contrary, he is taken exclusively in the well-being of others, acquires wisdom, treads upon right path and appreciates merit. Haribhadra compares the Jaina conception of Tirthankaras with the Bodhisattvas.

The gradual purification of its love of truth takes place corresponding to the purification of soul. So long the soul has not cut the knot and attained purification, our attitude is bound to be wrong, and perverse called as avidya, mithyatva or darsana-moha. Without purification of the soul, we can have only commonplace attitude of the spiritually advanced soul (yoga-drsti).

www.jainworld.com