Doctrine of Liberation in Indian Religion

Author(s): Shivkumarmuni
Publisher: Munshiram Manoharlal Publisher's Pvt Ltd New Delhi

Page 49

THE DOCTRINE OF THE SELF
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manifest features in this mundane existence. The manifest and essential features are its life-essentials (such as indriya or senses, bala or the channels of activities, ayu or life-duration and svā socchväsa or respiration) which are the signs of its presence in an embodied condition. 13
To understand the concept of self, it is necessary to know first what is not-self, because the ontological analysis of reals, according to Jaina philosophy, undertakes both self (jiva) and not-self (ajīva) into consideration which cover up the entire psychical and physical phenomena of the universe.
NOT-SELF (AJIVA)
Ajiva or not-self has been explained by Jaina scholars as nonpsychical entity, different from jiva or self whose essential characteristic is sentiency.14 By calling ajīva as not-self, non-self, non-psychical or non-sentient, it does not mean that it stands only for matter or physical body having some form, because its classification includes those substances also which have no forms. The substances that come under this category are (i) pudgala, (ii) dharma, (iii) adharma (iv)ākāśa and (v) kāla
(i) The term pudgala refers to the substance which has some form. Literally it stands for the material substance which undergoes modifications, combinations and dissociations. Due to combination the extent of pudgala is some times increased, while due to dissociation its extent is sometimes decreased. As it has a peculiar process of combination (pud) and dissociation (gala), it is called pudgala.15 It has been defined as having the characteristics of touch (sparsa), taste (rasa), smell (gandha) and colour (varna), 16 which are also accepted by other systems of Indian thought as inherent attributes of matter. But Jaina philosophers do not maintain that sound
13. 14.
Pravacanasāra, 11. 55; Pañcastikāya, 30. Sarvärthasiddhi 1.4; tad vipar yāya laksaņo ajivaḥ. Pravacanasāra, II. 35; Dravyasamgraha, jikā on 15. Tattvärthasūtra, V. 5, rūpinah pulgalal. Tatīvārtharājavärtrika, IV. 1, Dravyasamgraha-tika on 15, 26; Niyamasāra-vrtti on 9; Tattvārthasāra, III. 55. T'attavārthasūtra V. 23 Vyākhyāprajslapti, XII. 5. 450.
16.