Jainism

Author(s): N R Guseva
Publisher: Sindu Publications P L

Page 74

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JAINISM
A human being can accomplish the feat of stopping this interaction and of liberating itself-gradually from the attractions of all that relates to Ajiva and can accomplish the feat of securing the condition of Moksha-complete freedom, salvation.
For securing Moksha, every Jain must efficiently master the thought of the seven so-called Tattvas: (1) living (spirit), (2) non-living (matter), (3) penetration of matter into the soul, (4) connection of the matter with the soul, (5) mastering of this penetration by the soul, (6) liberation from the influence of matter, and (7) moksha.
Jiva (we will translate it as soul) is wholly eternal and intransient, but it consists of innumerable multitudes of individual souls, invested in most varied material envelopes or bodies. These may be bodies of people, animals, insects and even plants. There are categories of beings manifesting only one sense, one aspect of soul—touch. These are immovable'Sthavara' (these are plantations, air, water, fire, land). There are beings—'Trasa' i.e. movable. Amongst them, there are those who have two senses : touch and taste (for example, worms), and who have three senses : touch, taste and smell (beetle), who have four senses: touch, taste, smell and sight (bee), who have five senses-the above four and hearing (peoples, animals and birds).
In as much as the existence of soul in every living being is acknowledged, the doctrine of ahimsa i.e. nonviolence, absence of injury to life is adhered to in the strictest possible manner.
This doctrine prescribed absence of injury even to plants and those beings, which possess only one sense. But in as much as such a prescription is not compatible, say, with agricultural practice, Jain preachers introduce the explanation that only conscious harm to living beings is strictly prohibited but harm which is caused by necessity is not.
Five conceptions form a part of the category of Ajiva i.e. non-living. Pudgala—matter, Dharma-means, environments, stimulating movement or action, Adharma-means or environment, stimulating absence of movement (for example, land), Akasha--expanse and Kala (time).
3. "Jainism", Shri Vallabh Suri Jain Literature Series, Pushpa, 2, pp. 9-10.