Lynna R. Dhanani discusses the Jain view that spiritual progress ideally leads lay practitioners toward the ascetic path, where more intensive practices can be pursued to achieve liberation—if not in this life, then in a future one. The tradition recognizes the potential for both advancement and regression, a concept famously illustrated by the game of snakes and ladders, which has origins in Jain cosmology. While laypeople can make significant progress, the ascetic life remains the primary route to ultimate liberation.