ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 01

Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

Page 88

The Jaina Āgama classifies living beings (Jīvas) into five kinds, namely, one-sensed to fivesensed beings. 11 The minimum number of Prāṇas possessed by the empirical self is four (one sense, one Bala, life-limit and breathing), and the maximum number is ten (five senses, three Balas, life-limit, and breathing). The lowest in the grade of existence are the onesensed Jīva which posses only the sense of touch and they have only the Bala of body, and besides they hold life-limit and breathing. These one-sensed Jiva admit of five-fold classification, namely, the earth-bodied (Prthivīkāyika), water-bodied (Jalakāyika), firebodied (Agnikāyika) air-bodied (Vāyukāyika) and lastly, vegetable-bodied (Vanaspatikāyika) souls.
The two sensed Jiva posses six Prānas, i.e., in addition to the four Prānas of one-sensed souls, they have two Prāņas more; namely, the sense of taste, and the Bala of speech; the three-sensed souls have the sense of smell additionally; the four-sensed souls have the sense of colour besides the above; and lastly, the five-sensed souls which are mindless are endowed with the sense of hearing in addition, and those with mind possess all the ten Prānas. 12 Thus the number of Prānas possessed by the one-sensed to five-sensed souls is four, six, seven, eight, nine and ten respectively. This classification of Jīvas into five kinds is used for the measurement of the degree of Ahimsa. The more the senses one has, the more the evolved consciousness. As for example, two-sensed beings are more evolved than the one-sensed beings, five sensed beings are more evolved than the one, two, three and foursensed beings. Thus Ahimsā will be directly proportionate to the Ahimsā of the beings (Jivas) classified
Now for the progress and development of these beings, Ahimsā ought to be the basic value guiding the behaviour of human beings. For a healthy living, it represents and includes all the values directed to the 'other' without over-emphasizing the values directed to one's own self. Thus it is the pervasive principle of all the values. Posit Ahimsa and all the values are posited. Negate Ahimsā and all the values are negated. Ahimsā purifies our action in relation to the self and other beings. This purification consists in our refraining from certain actions and also in our performing certain actions by keeping in view the existence of human and sub-human beings.
11 Pamcāstikāya of Kundakunda, 112-117. (Rajchandra Ashram, Agas) 12 Sarvärthasiddhi of Pujyapada, H-14/288, (Bharatiya Jnanapith, New Delhi)
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