First Principal of the Jaina Philosophy

Author(s): Hirachand Liladhar Zaveri
Publisher: Jaina Vividh Sahitya Shastramala

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THE FIRST PRINCIPLES OF
characteristics of which are, in all respects, the opposite of souls. It is subdivided into: dharma, adharma, pudgala, akasa, and kala. These have been explained under the heading of substance (dravya); see Chapter I.
The third principle is the inflow or 'letting in or ‘intake of matter into living beings (asrava). It is defined as an influx of auspicious (subha) and of inauspicious (asubha) forces (karmas). The letting in of auspicious forces takes place when the soul or living being (this doctrine applies to animals, etc., as well as to man) feels love or hatred rightly for beings or things. As a result of this kind of 'intake' the being experiences material happiness and welfare, The 'letting in' or 'intake' of inauspicious forces takes place when the being wrongly feels love or hatred towards beings or things. It results in unhappy and painful experiences for the being. From a worldy point of view the letting in of auspicious forces (subhasrava) is superior to the letting in of inauspicious forces (asubhasrava); but both are inferior to the pure natural state of the soul (moksha), which comes about as a result of the complete destruction or removal from the soul of every foreign force (karma) whether good or bad in a worldly sense. Neither of these two leads to this final condition (moksha); on the contrary, either prevents it.