Number of Souls

SR No.: 200008
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Pravin K Shah
Publisher: JAINA Education Committee
Total Pages: 3
Language: English
Classification: Article, Jaina_Education, & 0_Jaina_education
File Size: 46 KB

Page 1

Number of Souls in Jainism (3rd revision) Jain literature defines that every soul of the entire universe is a unique individual and in existence forever. Not a single soul is created by any power and it can not be destroyed by any means. At a very high level all souls of the universe are classified into the following categories:
1. Liberated (Siddha) souls 2. Vyavahär_räshi (Samsäri or worldly) souls
a. Vyavahär_räshi Pratyeka Souls b. Vyavahär_räshi Nigod Souls
i. Vyavahär_räshi Nigod Bädar Souls
ii. Vyavahär_räshi Nigod Sukshma Souls 3. Avyavahär_räshi Nigod souls
a. Avyavahär_räshi Nigod Sukshma Souls (Only one category)
Pratyeka means one soul possesses one physical body Nigod means infinite souls share one physical body Bädar means one can see the body of the souls Sukshma means one cannot see the body of the souls
Liberated (Siddha) souls:After attaining liberation each liberated soul remains in a permanent blissful state forever in a place called Moksha which is located on the top of Lokäkäsh just above Siddhashilä. They possess infinite knowledge, vision, and power. They do not possess any karma and hence no physical body and not another rebirth. They exist as a pure soul or consciousness. They are a unique individual and maintain their existence forever. They do not merge into one supreme soul. During each time cycle (Utsarpini and Avasarpini Era or Ascending and Descending Time cycle) finite numbers of Samsäri or worldly souls from human life attain liberation. However, in the past infinite time cycles have passed by and hence the numbers of souls liberated are infinite.
Vyavahär_räshi (Samsäri or Worldly) souls:Vyavahär_räshi or Samsäri or worldly souls possess limited knowledge, vision, and power. They have one to five senses depending upon there development, progress, and amount of karma they possess. One sensed souls are vegetation, water, earth, fire, and air. The five sensed souls are humans, heavenly beings, hellish beings, and animals. Some of the five sensed souls possess a mind. Some times the mind is considered the sixth sense. The soul can attain liberation only from this category. However, among all Vyavahär_räshi souls only Human beings are capable of achieving liberation. When one soul attains liberation, another soul comes out of Avyavahär-räshi Nigod souls into Vyavahär_räshi. Hence Vyavahär_räshi or Samsäri souls remain constant at any given time. All souls of the Vyavahär_räshi are divided into two sub-categories
Vyavahär_räshi Pratyeka Souls: - In this category each soul possesses its own unique body. The soul may possess one to five senses depending upon their development and progress and amount of karma. In this category the total numbers of souls are innumerable (Aganit). However the maximum numbers of total human beings in the two and half islands (Adhi_dvip) of the Jain universe are numerable and the number is defined in the 4th Karma Granth which is about 10E29.
Vyavahär_räshi Nigod Souls: - In this category an infinite number of souls share one physical body. All souls possess only one sense. All Nigod souls are classified as vegetation souls even though some of the Nigod souls exist in space and not on the