Jaina Philosophy

Author(s): Mohanlal Mehta
Publisher: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan

Page 98

SOUL
85
cannot come into existence like sky-flower or a horn on the head of a hare. A thing which is existent cannot be absolutely non-existent like the material elements.' If consciousness is absolutely non-existent, it can never come into existence. It exists in the soul because the soul is the principle of consciousness.
Fourthly, a person who does not accept the existence of soul, cannot make a negative judgment in the case of an absolutely non-existent object. Even the existence of skyflower is not absolutely negative, for both sky and flower exist. The conjunction (samyoga) of sky and flower is non-existent, not the objects themselves. Hence, the negation of soul itself proves the existence of soul. If there is no soul, whose negation is this?
Fifthly, the word 'jīva'is synonymous with the word 'soul.' This word 'jīva' is significant, for it has a derivation (vyutpatti) and it is a singular whole (suddha pada). Whatever is a singular whole and has a derivation is here seen to be one having a meaning. Pitcher etc. may be mentioned as instances. So is the word 'jīva'. Therefore, it, too, has a meaning. What is not significant and has no meaning, is wanting in derivation, and besides, it is not a singular whole. Dittha, sky-flower etc. are words of this type, for the former has no derivation, whereas the latter is not a singular whole. Such is not the case with the word 'jīva'. Therefore, it is significant and has a meaning.? The meaning is nothing but the concept of soul. This argument is etymological in nature. Definition of Soul :
The defining characteristic of soul is sīvatva which means cetanā. When we use the word consciousness as the criterion of soul, we only mean cetană by it. It is cetanā alone which does not exist in any substance other than the soul. Hence, the 1. Šāstra-vārtā-samuccaya, 76. 2. Višeșāvasyaka-bhāșya, 1575.