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PHILOSOPHY OF SOUL
53
Now their explanation means that the soul realised in all the living beings is not real but virtual. It is only illusionary. Furthe how can this unreal soul act? It is common sense that the reflections of moon serve no purpose except for the mere sight. Thus this theory is of no avail.
Perhaps they would mean that the soul basically is one but it is partially distributed in all the souls. Now this contention also cannot stand as in that case all the souls should be identical in nature as they are the parts of the same single soul. Do we not find stereotyped goods manufactured in the same machine? WIMCO match stick is almost the same as any other stick manufactured in the same concern with the same machine. Thus, if souls were parts of one single great soul, all of them would have experienced identical nature, characteristics, activities, pains and pleasures. But the actual fact which we perceive in this world is quite otherwise, and consequently the contention that the souls are parts of one great soul is non-acceptable.
Thus, Advaitavada professing the theory of oneness of soul cannot satisfy our reasoning and that is why it is non-acceptable. The people of sound reasoning assert that every living being has its individuality, its characteristics, individual nature, individual nature of experience of pains and pleasures and therefore, every living being mast possess individual soul. The omniscient Lords have declared : “Earth, fire, water, wind, grass, seeds and even trees--all possess individual souls. This means that living entities though appearing as one and whole, are possessed of individual souls."
Over and above five kinds of immobile creatures mentioned above, there are mobile creatures. They are called six bodied ones (Shud Nikay). All the creatures in this universe are included in these six bodied living creatures, and there is no other living entity beyond them.
The scientific information on biology is very exhaustive in Jain religion and the same can be hardly met with elsewhere. Different species of creatures, their maximum and minimum physical dimensions, their life-span etc., are worked out in details in sacred Sutras which are valuable treatises on this subject. Shree Bhagavatiji and other texts also deal with similar problems. Jiva vichar and
| SR No. | 023322 |
| Book Title | Atmatatva Vichar Or Philosophy Of Soul |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Vijaylakshmansuri, Ghanshyam Joshi, Kirtivijay Gani |
| Publisher | Mohanlal D Mehta |
| Publication Year | 1963 |
| Total Pages | 568 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 39 MB |