Jainism For Beginners Level 03

Author(s): Sayampurnashreeji
Publisher: Sayampurnashreeji

Page 17

UNIVERSAL SUBSTANCES
SHAD DRAVYAS
s explained above Jainism believes U that the universe is made from the combination of the six universal substances. All of the six substances are indestructible, imperishable, immortal, eternal and continuously go through countless changes.
The Jiv, which grows, decays, fluctuates, varies, eats, sleeps, awakes, acts, fears, rests, has knowledge and perception, attempts to self defend, and reproduces. These and many more qualities of the jiv are obvious through a physical body when the soul is present in it but when the soul leaves, these qualities cease These qualities are external features and consciousness (Chetan) is the basic inner feature of the soul. This also helps us understand that the body and the soul are separate entities. Since the soul is flexible, it pervades the entire body it occupies. For example, the same soul can occupy the body of an ant or an elephant. Such bodies stay alive as long as there is a soul. A live body, or rather, a body with a soul is described
• Soul or Consciousness - Jiv - Living
being · Matter - Pudgal - Nonliving being • Medium of motion - Dharmastikaya
- Nonliving being Medium of rest - Adharmastikaya -
Nonliving being · Space - Akasha - Nonliving being • Time- Kal or Samay - Nonliving
being
here as a Jiv.
[21
Living beings - 6 substances /
LIVING BEING
Soul or Jiv is the only substance, which has a capacity to possess knowledge, vision, power, and bliss. It also possesses the property of contraction and expansion like that of light. There are innumerable souls in the universe. Souls cannot be created or cannot be destroyed. The total number of souls remains same in the entire universe all the time. All living beings are classified into two major categories.
SOUL (JIV)
Coul's essential characteristic is
consciousness. In Jainism, Jiv and soul are more or less described synonymously. When the spiritual or psychic status is described it is referred to as the soul, and when the physical structure is described, it is called Jiv.
:
Liberated or Siddha Jiv Non-liberated or Sansari Jiv