tman_and_moksa

SR No.: 020053
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: G N Joshi
Publisher: Gujarat University
Publication Year: 1965
Total Pages: 901
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 12 MB

Page 259

Acharya Shri Kailashsagarsuri Gyanmandir
Jainism
227
Jiva and Ajiva. The Jiva is the enjoyer and Ajīva is the jada or the things enjoyed. The Jiva has cons. ciousness while the Ajiva is devoid of consciousness but it can be perceived with the sense organs. The Jiva is the conscious agent, that which desires, enjoys pleasures and avoids pain and reaps the fruits of actions. This division between the Jiva and Ajiva does not correspond to I and not-I. All animate things, those which have the vital principle in them and those that are capable of auto-movement possess the soul or Jiva according to the Jainas. S. Radhakrishnan writes -—"Jiva and ajiva do not correspond to I and not-l. It is an objective classification of things in the universe that underlies the distinction of Jiva and ajiva."
It is said in the Sarvadarśanasangraha that the Jiva alone is conscious and the ajiva has no consciousness.” Hemācārya describes the Jiva or soul as follows -" It performs different kinds of actions, it reaps the fruit of those actions, it circles round returning again; these and none other are the characteristics of the soul.”3 The Jain Jiva or soul is not momentary or it is not changing every moment as the Buddhist Self is; because, in that case, the possibility of the enjoyment of the actions of the Self here on the earth or in the heaven cannot be maintained. If the doer does not remain the same and
1 Radhakrishpan S. : Indian Philosophy, Vol. I, pp. 314-15. ? Sarvadars'anasangraha, p. 67.
तत्र बोधात्मको जीवः । अबोधात्मकस्त्वजीवः। 3 Bhandarkar R. G. : Search for Sanskrit Mss. in 1883-84, p. 106.
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