Compendium of Jainism

Author(s): T K Tukol, A N Upadhye
Publisher: Prasaranga Karnatak University Dharwar

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COMPENDIUM OF JAINISM
beings possessing more organs in their order as two, three etc. are : worms, ants, becs. The vertebrates possess all five organs of sense; they are again divided into samanaska (or with a mind) and amanaska (or without a mind). The former are rational while the lower animals without a mind are irrational. Amongst the rational, there are men, denizens of hell and the gods. Besides, the four elements viz. earth, water, air and fire are animated by souls, that is, their bodies are formed by the particles of earth, water, air or fire as the case may be. These are elementary lives which are either substle or gross, the subtle ones being invisible. Even amongst plants, there are subtlc ones. The subtle or invisible "plants are called nigodas; they are composed of an infinite number of souls forming a very small cluster, having respiration and nutrition in common, and experience the most exquisite pains. Innumerable nigodas form a globule, and witb them the whole space of the world is closely packed like a box filled with powder. The nigodas furnish the supply of souls in place of those who have reached nirvāņa, But an infinitesimally small fraction of one single nigoda suffices to replace the vacancy caused in the world by the nirvāņa of all souls that have been liberated from the beginningless past down to the present. Thus it is evident that the samsāra
ver be empty of living beings. The number of such souls being infinite, there is no question of their stock being exhausted even if infinite souls are liberated. It may be mentioned that the liberated souls, ibat is, souls who have attained perfection, dwell at the top of the universe in a state of absolute purity.
Dharma is a substance which assists the movement of moving pudgala. This is the medium of motion. Adharama which is its counterpart assists the staying of pudgalas and jivas which are stationary, as shadow assists the staying of a traveller. This is medium of rest. Both these are non-materjal, nonatomic and coutinuous medja pervading Lokākāśa, every jota of the whole universe, although for purposes of practical convenience they are regarded as made up of space-points.