I am The Soul Part 02

Author(s): Tarulatabai Mahasati
Publisher: Shri Gujarati Shwetambar Sthanakwasi Jain Association

Page 221

I am the Soul
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the same. How much ever the wandering in the births, but the atma never gets destroyed. Through all the three times the existence of the atma is the same. It is a substance with eternal existence. In the event when the atma becomes free from all karmas and attains the siddha state, all the external feelings are destroyed but the atma does not lose its existence. Therefore, it is sat.
Atma is chaitanyamaya – full of life. The uncommon characteristic of the atma that separates it from all other substances is its chaitanya – life. This characteristic is not there in any other thing but the atma. The jada dravya - inanimate substance is existent but it is bereft of life - chaitanya. There are many other strengths in the inanimate which the world can make use of. But ultimately it is still inanimate. The atma is chaitanya and therefore it lives. The life of the jiva is its chaitanya.
Further, since the atma has a life, it is also endowed with knowledge. Knowledge is also an uncommon characteristic of the atma. It does not exist in other substances. Only because knowledge is the characteristic of atma, the atma enlightens the self and others. Atma knows the self as well as other substances. The specialities of the jiva differentiate it from the inanimate. The entire business of this material world is running on account of these specialities. Among the six dravyas, if the jiva also were to be inanimate bereft of life and knowledge, then the shape of this world would have been altogether different.
In the same way, atma is sat, it is endowed with chaitanya, and hence it can attain moksa. Had it not been sat, it would itself have got destroyed, and then who would have attained moksa? Indeed, the endless experience of the eternally pure bliss of chaitanya by the atma is itself moksa.
Had the atma not been endowed with chaitanya then what would moksa be? Therefore, these special characteristics of atma are proof that it has a moksa.