Unknown Pilgrims

SR No.: 007014
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: N Shanta
Publisher: Sri Satguru Publications Delhi
Publication Year: 1997
Total Pages: 820
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 19 MB

Page 311

Chapter 2
Tattva, Reality
jiva living substance (the life-principle, principle of
vitality, characterised by consciousness) ajiva non-living (non-conscious) substance, åsrava penetration (of the jiva by karmic matter, good
and bad], bandha servitude [of the jiva), saṁvara cessation (of karmic penetration), nirjară elimination (which is progressive and consists in
the destruction of karmic matter), mokşa (the complete] liberation (of the jiva from all
karmic matter, good and bad alike; all this, taken
together, constitutes): tattva reality (substance, that-which-is].1
Here, presented in an extremely concise manner, in a sequence of rigorous logic, are what are termed the seven categories that constitute tattva, reality. Endeavouring to follow this same logic we shall first turn our attention briefly to the first four categories and everything appertaining to them; the remaining three will be studied later.2
1 jiva-ajiva-asrava-bandha-samvara-nirjara-mokṣāḥ tattvam. TS I, 4; certain texts give 9 categories, adding: punya, merit and pāpa, offence; cf. SamSa 13; US XXVIII, 14. DravSam gives 7 categories including punya and pāpa and lists jiva and ajiva separately; TS VI, 3 lists punya and pāpa along with asrava.
2 We follow closely the TS, despite the fact that it introduces bandha later,
fter the mahavratas, while we place it after asrava in order to make the sequence more easily comprehensible; it is important, furthermore, to respect the order given by TS I, 4, namely: bandha follows assava and precedes samvara.