Jainism a Glimpse

Author(s): Punyadarshanvijay
Publisher: Sanmarg Prakashan

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Every soul is immortal Basic Substance. Its attributes are (Guņas) inalienable, and possess unlimited strength, omniscient knowledge and vision, blissfulness. All virtues remain dormant.
To Illustrate: A Lantern with a defective wick emits black smoke and blackens the glass bulb completely with soot, shuts out the light even though the flame within is capable of emitting light. Similarly the soul with its inherent immense natural power and capacity, remains subdued, incapable to utilise until it is liberated from all Karmic obstacles and attain "Mõkşa" the purest form of soul.
STATE OF EXISTENCE (GATI):
Till then the soul goes through perpetual cycle of births and deaths in different bodies wandering amongst four particular life conditions, state of existence (Gati) and the class of being (Jāti) to which it belongs, according to assimilation or discarding of Karma, good or bad resulting in type, duration, intensity and degree, and the life-span in each body acquired.
The four conditions (Gati) broadly grouped:
1) Dēvagati : (Angels) celestial beings in Heaven live with a lifespan of Min. 10,000 years - max. 33 Sāgarāpama in continuous pleasurable conditions with subtle (Astral) bodies, known as Dēva (Angels). More the merit the soul will reach higher stage, will live for longer duration and will enjoy more pleasurable condition. There are different types of heavenly abodes in ascending stages.
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