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stop manifestation of the natural properties of the soul. In this state the soul is called paramatman. Two types of paramatman have been recognized in Jaina texts, Arhanta parmatman and Siddha paramatman. Arahanta parmatman is in embodied state, still having minimum biological impurities, and has destroyed all psychical karmas enabling him to experience natural bliss and manifestation of perfect knowledge and perception. Tirthankara is Arahanta paramatman who experiencing the absolute truth in all its aspects teaches his disciples and followers the reality of life and the world and the ways to achieve emancipation. Siddha paramatman is body-less and is free from all karmas and exists as pure jiva substance. In this case the soul is in its natural state and is free from influences of matter. On reaching this state the soul is never to have body again and he experiences all his natural attributes without any obstruction forever.
5 Powers of Soul
Samayasaar of Acharya Kundakunda is the most important philosophical work on soul having a unique and respectable position in Jain literature. In his Sanskrit commentary Atmakhyati on Samayasaar Acharya Amritchandra composed verses of great spiritual value. At the end of this book he mentioned 47 Shaktiyan (Powers) of soul. This short description presents some very important concepts of soul. I have meaningfully translated this text in English here.
The soul is known and identified through its jnana attribute. Jnana, a special attribute, is the identifying property of soul; it is not found in matter (pudgala) or in other non-living substances. Hence in order to know soul we must understand jnana first. As a substance jnana and soul are one and the same. Question then is why a distinction is made between them? This is because existence of jnana can be experienced and proved, soul cannot. Soul has infinite intrinsic (permanent) attributes; the other (perverted) attributes of soul, which may exist simultaneously or temporally, though different from jnana etc. are not different spatially. So change in one attribute causes a change in other attributes too. The other temporary attributes are also known as powers of soul. The jnana attribute is the means to establish contact with the self as well as with external world. Some attributes and powers may seem to oppose each other but they are properties of the same soul.
We now describe 47 rising powers and attributes of soul. These powers are intrinsic to soul and are not related to karma. The substance of soul is one with the attributes and powers and it does not carry the perverted modes of soul. But the 47 powers do include the relatively pure modes of soul which are produced by
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| SR No. | 007004 |
| Book Title | Elusive Consciousness |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Narendra Bhandari, Surendrasingh Pokharana, Jitendra B Shah |
| Publisher | L D Indology Ahmedabad |
| Publication Year | 2015 |
| Total Pages | 150 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 19 MB |