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THE JAINA GAZETTE
this form of genesis is called Sammurchchhana. Potas, Jarayujas and Andajas are produced from wombs. The creatures that can move to and fro, as soon as they are born are Potas, e.g. the cub of a lioness; they have no sac or shell over them when they are born. The creatures who are born with such sacs or shells are called Jarayujas e.g., the human infants. Andajas are creatures, produced from eggs e.g., the birds.
The Jiva of Seven Kinds.
In accordance with the principles of the Syadvada or the theory of Possibility, the Jainas draw attention to the seven standpoints from which the Jiva may be viewed.
To give an idea of the nature of a substance, its attribute is to be stated and the substance, in relation to it. The Jaina philosophers maintain that to show the relation of a substance to its attribute, no less than seven statements are necessary. These seven statements are called the seven Bhangas and the Jaina consideration of reality is based on the Sapta-Bhanga-Naya or the theory of Sevenfold Possibility.
Jiva or soul is a substance and Astitva or Existence, say, is one of its attributes. To understand the nature of the Soul, we must understand its attributes e.g. Existence etc. But, then, all is not said when it is said, 'Soul exists'; rather, in saying so we make only a partial, imperfect, one-sided and consequently, incorrect statement of truth. Hence, it is necessary to enquire into the true significance of the statement, Soul exists.
By the expression, soul exists, we do not mean that the soul exists, absolutely in all its forms and modes simultaneously, The soul exists only in so far as its Sva-dravya (own substance), Sva-kshetra (own place), Sva-kala (own time) and Sva-bhava (own modification) are concerned. Thus, a Jiva exists in its own substance; it exists, that is to say, as congnising psychical substanee'. Similarly, a Jiva may be said to exist with reference to its own place; the soul which is in Pataliputra must be understood as a soul, existing in Pataliputra only. In the same way, the time also is to be considered in connection with the existence of a soul; one would be mistaken in not considering Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
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