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Chapter 8: Guru's Explanation of the Soul's Everlastingness
Koi Sanyogothi Nahin, Jeni Utpatti Thay; Näsh Na Teno Koimän, Tethi Nitya Saday.
That which cannot arise out of any combination, cannot merge with anything else, and is therefore eternal.
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Explanation & Discussion:
As stated above, all the objects that come to our notice have been continually undergoing transformation. It means that the old forms disappear and the new ones come into being. Similarly, the old compositions are decomposed and the new ones take their place. Every existing form thus gives place to a new one and no form stays forever. Some of the transformations, like withering of flowers, are evident; while others, like aging, come to our notice after a long time. But the process is continuing every moment. Jainism conceives of 'Samay' as the smallest unit of time, which is the infinitesimal part of a second. As such, it can be stated that every form gives place to a new one in each Samay.
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Such transformation, however, occurs in the case of the objects, which are formed by composition or combination. It does not occur in the case of natural substances, which are not subject to composition or combination. Such substances cannot be produced, nor can they be destroyed. They can neither arise out of any combination, nor would they merge in anything else. The soul is such an original substance. It does not undergo any transformation and stays the same forever.
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