$JES 302 Jain Philosophy Level 3 Book

Author(s): JAINA Education Committee
Publisher: JAINA Education Committee

Page 68

SIX SUBSTANCES PARTI - LIVING BEINGS (JAV) Since the soul is flexible, it pervades the entire body it occupies. For example, the same soul can occupy the body of an ant or an elephant. Such bodies stay alive as long as there is a soul. A live body, or rather, a body with a soul is described here as a Jiv. Soul or Jiv is the only substance, which has a capacity to possess knowledge, vision, power, and bliss. It also possesses the property of contraction and expansion like that of light. There are innumerable souls in the universe. Souls cannot be created or cannot be destroyed. The total number of souls remains same in the entire universe all the time. All living beings are classified into two major categories.
• Liberated or Siddha Jiv
• Non-liberated or Sansäri Jiv. Liberated (Siddha) Soul Liberated souls have no karmas and therefore, they are no longer in the cycle of birth and death. They do not live among us, but reside at the uppermost part of the universe just above Siddhashilä. They are formless and their shape exist in 2/3 size of the last existence as human. They have perfect knowledge and perception, and have infinite vigor and bliss. All Siddhas are unique but they are equal in their qualities and nature. There is no difference in their status. Worldly (Sansäri) Soul Worldly soul is defined as a soul that is covered by karma particles. Hence its qualities are different from the liberated soul as follows: • Limited knowledge
Limited Vision Limited Power Limited Bliss Possesses a body (plants, hellish, animal, human, or angel) Wanders in the cycle of life and death Suffers from birth, death, pain, and pleasure Doer of all kinds of karmas (actions)
Enjoyer of the fruits of the karmas • Innumerable number of worldly souls
• Capable of becoming free from worldly life Jivs exist on earth, as well as in water, air, and fire, and are present all over the universe. Human beings, celestial beings, infernal beings, animals, fish, birds, bugs, insects, plants, etc., are the most common forms of Jiv with, which we can easily relate. However, Jain scriptures state that there are 8.4 million types of birth places of Jiv in all. They are classified by the number of senses they possess. There are five senses in all, namely touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing. Different types of Jivs possess a different number of senses. Based upon the number of senses and mobility, Jivs are further classified into different categories. Based on mobility, all Jivs are divided into two broad categories:
• Non-mobile or Sthåvar Jiv - those that cannot move on their own and have only one sense.
• Mobile or Tras Jiv - those that can move on their own and have two to five senses. Non-Mobile Souls (Sthävar Jiv, One Sensed Being, or Ekendriya Jiv): Jivs having only one sense, the sense of touch, is called Ekendriya. They are further divided into the following five sub-categories.
68
JAIN PHILOSOPHY AND PRACTICE I