Aspects of Jaina Religion

Author(s): Vilas Sangve
Publisher: Bharatiya Gyanpith

Page 33

Fundamentals of Jainism :: 29
A close analysis of this brief statement about Jaina philosophy shows that it involves the following seven propositions:
(i) that there is something, called living; (ii) that there is something, called non-living; (iii) that the two come into contact with each other; (iv) that the contact leads to the production of some
energies; (v) that the process of contact could be stopped; (vi) that the existing energies could also be exhausted;
and (vii) that the salvation could be achieved.
These seven propositions imply the seven tattvas or principles of Jaina philosophy. These tattvas are termed as follows:
(i) jīva, i.e., living substance, (ii) ajīva, i.e., non-living substance, (iii) ásrava, i.e., the influx of karmic matter into the soul, (iv) bandha, i.e., bondage of soul by karmic-matter, (v) samvara, i.e., the stopping of ásrava, the influx, (vi) nirjarā, i.e., the gradual removal of karmic matter,
and (vii) mokşa, i.e., the attainment of perfect freedom from
the karmas. It is clear that the first two tattvas deal with the nature and enumeration of the eternal substances of nature, and the remaining five tattvas are concerned with the interaction between and separation of these two eternal substances, viz., jīva and ajiva, i.e., spirit and matter. In Jaina religion much importance has been given to these seven tattvas as every soul would be aspirant for mokşa, i.e., salvation. To achieve the ultimate goal a person has to understand the nature of these tattvas. These seven tatvas point to two groups of substances: soul and non-soul. Non-soul is all that is not soul, devoid of