Jainism a Theistic Philosophy

Author(s): Krishna A Gosavi
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 91

JAINA THEISM AND CONCEPT OF SOUL
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omniscience, a jiva performs mental, vocal and bodily activities. He walks, speaks having three-fold activities and hence is called “sayoga'and since he is possessed of kevala-jñāna (omniscience), he is called 'kevalī”. Thus he is sayoga-kevali or according to other Indian philosophical systems, he is jīvanamukta (the liberated-while living). In this stage, the soul out of five conditions of bondage viz. perversity, non-abstinence, spiritual inertia, passions and activity; annihilates the first four. The last one however still remains. The soul is now omniscient (kevalin) and has attained full and perfect intuition and spiritual energy. There is however still the rise and existence of the four non-destructive karmas, viz. feeling producing (vedanīya), longevity-determining (āyusya), body-making (nāma), and the status determining (gotra). There is also the three-fold activity of body, speech and the mind. But there is no new bondage leading to worldly life. Now the soul prepares for stoppage of activity, gross and subtle.
14. Ayogi Kevali
Ayogi means absence of activities of body, speech and mind and kevalin means omniscience. This stage is a highest state of virtue, which is a transitory state leading to a stage of absolute motionlessness, and lasting only for a short time. It is immediately followed by final emancipation, which is consummation of spiritual development and attainment of Godhood.
To stop all activities, soul at first stops the gross activities of speech and mind by gross activity of the body. Then it stops the gross activity of the body as well as the subtle activities of mind and sense organs of speech by subtle activity of the body. Then, soul enters the third stage of śukla-dhyāna, which is accompanied by subtle vibration. Due to this dhyāna the soul contract and fills the cavities created by embodied state. It is now reduced. Then it enters the fourth stage of the sukla-dhyāna, which is bereft, (deprived of life) and all vibration. Soul is now as motionless as a mountain rock