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- YATEENDRASURI SMARAK GRANTH terms of Jainism so that our due analysis of the and infinite power ananta Virya." problem becomes clear and to the point. The terms Now these souls are infinite in numbers: they to be analysed are -
are substances and are eternal. They occupy count Anekatattvavada
less spacepoints in our mudane world, known as Karmabandha
Lokakasa. They are entrapped in the bodies whose Status of Parama tma - Siddha
size in expansion and contraction they take to.
There are classes of Jivas beginning from plants Salva:ion
and point higher and higher to come to the state of Tirthankara
human beings when they have mind and intellect. to be followed by our analysis of As Dasgupta saysAnekantavada, Syadvada and saptabhanginaya. "The whole space of the world is closely
packed with them lika a box filled with powder. The Anekatattvavada (Pluralism of Jivas or Atmas )
nigodas furnish the supply of souls in place of those The Jains believe that all living beings in this that have reached Moksa. But and infinitesimally universe constantly struggle through and undergo small fraction of one single nigoda has sufficed to the cycle of births and deaths in this mundane world replace the vacancy caused in the world by the and existence. The constant effort of the Jiva is to Nirvana of all the souls that have been liberate from get free from the shackles of the bondage of Karma beginningless past down to the present."" because of which it suffers from Papa (sins) and
But it as it may, the Jainas believe in plurality earns Punya (merit) in its countless births. It has to
of the souls, The Jiva trapped in the body or living reach a stage when its Papa is totally annihilated,
in the body, is overcome by Karma that that is terit is no more expected to aspire after earning even
ror striking bondage and its constant struggle is to merit; it is expected to scale still higher heights. rise higher, by annihilation of Karma and the conAll the Jivas struggle through the cycle of the se- sequent Papa - sin and by gaining merit-Punya by ries of inumerable lives for total freedom from all
meritorious deeds and ecquirement of knowledge. bondage, not only of Papa but also of Punya. All
Enrichment of knowledge and annihilation of the the Jivas can get qualified to scale the higher and
bondage of Karma going on constantly in the highest uplift; no Jiva though temporarily lowly is course of the infinite series of births that is has to lost or condemned in the Jaina.faith. Siddhi or lib
take to. Then the higher state of Atma is achieved. eration or salvation is the ideal or the ultimate aim
The process is on and the march towards liberain view.
tion is on. Then the Atma becomes Parama Atma9; The three gems of right knowledge (samyak every atma can rise higher higher as laid down Jvnana), right vision (Samyak darshana) and right above. Parama- tma is not the paramatma, God the conduct and character (Samyak Charitra) come to Supreme, the unique force at the root of the entire its help and reecue. As Dasgupta states
universe. Then follows the stage of Tirthankara and *The Principle of life is entirely distinct from ultimately comes the stage of siddha - the stage of the body, and it is most erroneous to think that life attainment or purfection by the Jiva. We may call it is either the product or the property of the body. It is salvation or liberation. But even with this, the Jainas an account of this life - principle that the body ap- have retained the theory of pluralism. Even though pears to be living. This principle is the soul." there might be found distant affinity or influence of and,
Advaits of the Upanishads here; the fact remains
that they retain pluralism as against absolutism. "The soul in its pure state is possessed of
This speaks for the very wide, shall we say, almost infinite perception - ananta dar sana, infinite knowl
a universal outlook, in that the terrors - striking sufedge. ananta Jnnana, infinite bliss - anants-sukha
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