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Gems of Jainism
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The above qualities are also described as : infinite faith, infinite knowledge, infinite power and infinite bliss (Ananta Darshan, Ananta Jnana, Ananta Vrya, and Ananta Sukh: Ananta Catustaya) The soul in its impure stage possesses the following main nine properties:
1. The soul lived, is living and shall live for ever, 2. It has perception and knowledge, 3. It is immaterial, no touch, tate, smell, colour, 4. It is the only responsible agent of all its actions,
It completely fills the body which it occupies,
It enjoys the fruits of all its karmas, 7. It wanders in Samsāra, 8. It can become in its perfect condition Siddha,
9. It goes upward. Classification of Souls :
With reference to number, Jainism believes in pluralism of souls. According to Jainism there are infinite Jivas or Souls. The souls are innumerable and all Jivas i.e. embodied souls, as per the degree of its pollutedness beat the consequences and status. Thus Jivas or Souls could be classified in different ways from different standpoint. The Jains make an exclusive classification of souls (Jivas) on the bases of various physical differences. The main classifications are as follows: "With reference to its common essence, the Jiva (Soul) is of one kind. It is of two kinds in as much as it may be in bondage or liberated (emancipated). The Jivas may be imperfect, nearly perfect or perfect and thus be of three modes. With respect to its state of existence, the Jiva may be divided into four classes : viz. central being, internal being, human being and sub-human being. In consideration of its five fold conditions viz. mitigation, annihilation, partial annihilation and partial mitigation, modification and genesis or rising, the Jivas are of five kinds. The six modes of cognition divide the Jivas into six classes."12
What is mainly to be noted is the main division of souls into Mukta (liberated / emancipated) and Baddha ( in bondage) - all
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