Concept of Jiva in Jaina Philosophy

Author(s): J C Sikdar
Publisher: Z_Aspect_of_Jainology_Part_3_Pundit_Dalsukh_Malvaniya_012017.pdf

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Concept of "Jiva (Soul)" in Jaina Philosophy
doership and all-pervading, the conception of each individual subtle body (lingasarira) per self (purusa) has been made to the cause of its rebirth. That subtle body itself only is the doer and enjoyer, the substratum of qualities, such as, knowledge and ignorance, merit and demerit, etc., like the soul of Jaina Philosophy; and it is having change as its decrease and is endowed with the capacity of contraction and expansion just as the Soul of the Jaina system possesses. In short it can be said that except the inherent capacity of consciousness, all those whatever characteristics (dharmas), quality (guna) or modification (pariņāma) are existent in the Soul of Jaina metaphysics are accepted in the intellect (buddhitattva) or subtle body (lingasarira), of the Samkhya-Yoga Philosophy. "The subtle body (lingasarira), formed primevally, unimpeded, permanent, composed of intellect and the rest down to the subtle elements incapable of enjoyment, migrates and is endowed with disposition."""
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According to Jaina Philosophy, Soul, though non-corporeal in its natural state, can become 'corporeal' in actuality by the non-different relation (tädätmya-yoga) of the corporeal karmic body, while the Sentient Principle (cetana-tattva) of the SamkhyaYoga is accepted to so much extreme point of view that no impression (reflection) of the non-living substance or of corporeal subtle physical matter, which always exists in its contact, falls on it, but the reflection of Purusa (Self) on the transparent intellect (buddhi-tattva) and that of the characteristic existing in the intellect (buddhigatadharma) on Puruşa (Self) are admitted by this system of thought because of their mutual relation of nearness (sannidhya), it is only supposed to be unreal and phenomenal for this reason. As for example, just as there does not take place any real shadow or impression of a portrait (citra) on the looking glass or mirror (ākāśa), just so the impression of Puruşa (Self) on the intellect (buddhi-tattva) and vice versa should be regarded. "Therefore, not only (spirit) is bound or liberated, nor (does any) migrate. It is the Nature, abiding in manifold forms that migrates or is bound or liberated,"
The Jaina metaphysics accepts such capacities like knowledge, energy, selfawareness, etc., while the Sämṁkhya-Yoga regards them as existing in the subtle body. like intellect (buddhi-tattva), but not as inherent in the self (cetana-tattva).
In the Jaina system of thought, even though there being the capacity of each. individual soul as equal, its manifestation is accepted according to the effort (puruşartha) and cause (nimitta). Similarly, in the Samkhya-Yoga the subtle body or the intellect is regarded as the cause. That is, although all the intellects are having equal capacity in the natural form, still again, their manifestation is conditional upon the strength of distinction between body and Soul, effort and other cause."
The Jaina-Samkhya Views and the Nyaya-Vaiseṣika Conception of the Nature of Soul Like the Samkhya-Yoga Philosophy, the Nyaya-Vaiśeşika conceives beginningless and endless, infinite soul-substances as distinct by the difference of body; but having not accepted Soul as intermediate dimension (madhyama parimaņa) like the Jaina