Neuroscience and Karma

Author(s): Jethalal S Zaveri, Mahendramuni
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati

Page 16

living organisms. Bodies of all terrestrial organisms are made of Audārika group. Śwasochvása, Blāsā and Manah groups are used for the vital functions of breathing, speaking and thinking respectively. The subtle-most group is karmana group and the aggregates of this group are attracted and transformed by jiva and become karman, infecting and defiling the conscious substance -- jiva.
JĪVA, the soul (or spirit) the only conscious substance out of the six, is distinct from all the above substances which are devoid of consciousness. Jains believe in the multiplicity of souls, each quite independent from anoher (and not a part and parcel of a super consciousness - Brahman). Each jiva possesses innumerable qualities. In its purest natural state each jiva is exactly like another and is endowed with eight qualities. : 1) Kevalajñāna (omniscience) — Pure and perfect knowledge - the
faculty of instantly cognising, by direct experience, the content of the whole Universe which contains all reality and nothing but reality, without any contradiction or discrepancy. Kevaladarśana — Pure and perfect intuition (darśana) — the faculty of instantly apprehending, by direct experience, the whole of real existence, without separation of contents, as a system with total internal consistency and structure but without reference to anything
beyond. 3) Atmika Sukha-Self-generated blissfulness which transcends pleas
urc/pain and joy/grief and which has no reference to anything
outside the self. 4) Anania Virya -- Unfettered and unrestricted spiritual energy. 5) Kṣāyaka Samyaktva — Possession of Complete Truth. 6) Ağala-avagāhanā - Eternal uncbanging existence ----freedom from
migration. 7) Amūrtatva -- Total formlessness. 8) Agurulaghuta – Total parity with other pure souls.
(vii)