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10 First Steps to Jainism
constitute the universe we shall deal with them one by one as under:
(i) The animate beings (Jeeva)-The most important, rather, central element
or substance of the universe is the animate living substance also called the soul or Jeeva. There are infinite number of souls each of which has a separate and self sufficient entity. They have been coexistent with the universe and thus they are also beginningless and endless. At the same time number of souls in the universe like all other substances can neither be increased nor can it be decreased. The soul neither dies nor takes birth, as is apparent when a body dies or takes birth. Soul only changes the body expanding or contracting to suit the body it occupies like the light of a candle.
While a soul defies complete description it has been mentioned as a formless entity the central quality of which is consciousness (Gyan). This attribute distinguishes the soul or the animate being from the other five constituents of the universe which have no consciousness. The other attributes of the soul or animate being are its potentiality of possessing complete happiness, complete knowledge and infinite power. Actually in pure state the soul is perfect consciousness, perfect happiness and omnipotent. Due to association of the soul with matter, which association is again beginningless but which is not endless, the purity of the soul and its real powers have become over-shadowed and diminished. Efforts of the soul to realise its true glory is the destiny of man which Jainism describes as the ultimate aim. The souls which have realised their true nature, i.e., infinite knowledge, happiness, bliss, etc. are the liberated souls. In the second category are mundane souls which are circulating in the universe and which may be trying to achieve perfection or liberation.
Mundane souls are of different classes according to the level of consciousness outwardly manifested by their sense. Thus at the bottom of the scale are immovable bodies which have only one sense, i.e., sense of touch. These are souls inhabiting mineral bodies, water, fire, air and vegetables. The last category of the living beings, i.e., those of the vegetable kingdom have now been accepted by the scientific experiments though these were denied earlier. Jainism has all along been advocating existence of life in trees, plants and other
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