Jain Tattva Parichay

Author(s): Ujjwala D Shah
Publisher: Veetrag Vani Prakashak

Page 67

Letter 9
57
Nature of Pudgal Substance
Letter 9
July 25, 1994.
Dear Reena & Mona,
Blessings & Best Wishes.
This time, I am late in writing this letter because I had gone to Pune to attend Siddhachakra Vidhan.
There every evening I used to teach the children, through the story telling sessions, a few things about Jainism; like, "What are true Gods like ? Why one should leam scriptures ? Which are the four phases the soul passes through ? Why is it essential to know the true nature of one's self i.e. the soul ? What is the number and characteristics of the sensory organs ? Who am I in the real sense ? And what is my real goal in life ?"
As children were interested in the stories, they used to attend in large numbers, and they used to answer the questions. Many of the questions were answered correctly. Thus, they really learnt that, I am the soul substance, and body is the Pudgal substance. Whatever we know through the sensory organs is all Pudgal, and there is no real pleasure or bliss in any of the four phases i.e. Gati ( a ). We too, will just see in details, about these things which children understood so easily.
There are six substances in the cosmos. Out of them Jeev, Dharma, Adharma, Akash, and Kaal are the substances which can't be seen by us. In fact, we can not perceive them by any of our sensory organs. That is why they are called Aroopi atauit or invisible. Their existence can't be prooved even with the help of the microscope or infrared photography, Only Pudgal substance is visible i.e. Roopi aut. It has the attributes of touch, taste, smell or odour, colour etc. This substance can be perceived with the sensory organs
But the power to know or the ability to know is only in Jeev Dravya. The sensory organs, through which the soul knows or perceives other things, are the parts of the body itself, which is a Pudgal substance. Therefore, they are also Pudgal. Thus Pudgal is Roopi aut or Moortic Tra i.e. visible, and other substances are called Aroopi or Amoortik i.e. invisible.
Jeev or Atma, doesn't have the attributes of touch, taste, smell, colour etc. But Jeev can know the true nature of itself as well as the nature of other substances. This capacity or attribute to know or sentience is with Jeev only. That is why, it is called the Chetan Dravya and the remaining five substances are called Achetan Dravya.