________________
28
example, is regarded as a quality (guna) of the soul. There cannot be any time when the soul is absolutely devoid of consciousness. But pleasures, pains, eto, are merely various modes (par-ya-yas) of the soul. They appear and disappear.
II Substance is classified in Jainism as follows:
1. The Soul or “ Jiva.” Consciousness is the very essence of the soul. In its pure and natural form the soul is believed to have un limited knowledge, perception, strength and bliss The inherent characteristics are the sanie for all souls are divided into two classes: emancipated (Mukta) and wordly (baadha or samsarin). The emancipated souls have purified themselves of the dross of Karmic matter, risen to the higest loka and attained infinite knowledge and perception and unmixed bliss.1 The wordlly souls are in embodied form, clouded by the Karmic matter which gives rise to various pleasures and pains according to its nature and intensity.
The Jains believe that all living beings are selfexistent and eternal, found originally in
1 Panchastikayasamayasara, 28. Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat www.umaragyanbhandar.com
