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The Path of Arhat : A Religious Democracy
classifies the universe into two categories, viz. (1)Jiva (soul) and (2) Ajiva (non-soul ). Jiva is the creative spirit, the motivating force, the consciousness which pervades even in the things which are apparently immobile and inanimate. Ajīva is the matter non-sentient, non-motivating and non-conscious. This element of Ajiva is the world which is in existence outside the 'l' element. Every living being has the consciousness of 'I'. This 'l' exists inspite of the fundamental changes in the shape and character of its body. This body undergoes many changes from birth to childhood, then to youth and to old age and finally to death but 'l'consciousness remains the same. That consciousness is that of Jiva'. The rest is 'Ajiva'. If we analyse all the objects of this universe, we shall come across these two broad classifications of “Jiva' and 'Ajiva'.
According to Jaina philosophers both these elements of the universe are eternal and ever existent. They are not created by any one and they operate by their own force, action and interaction. This interaction between these two every existing and eternal elements of universe supplies motivating force, consciousness and push of Jiva to Ajiva. The result is the large and amazing varieties and activities of objects in the universe.
Obviously, this line of reasoning rules out the necessity of a creator or a sustainer of the universe, because according to it the universe is an incomprehensible automation and the work of a philosopher is only to find out and understand the secrets of this automation. Religion, according to Jainism does not consist of any ritual but is only an attempt to adjust yourself properly in the mechanism of this automation. As S. Radhakrishnanl puts it, "the Jaina view is that the whole universe of being, of mental and material factors has existed from all eternity, undergoing an infinite number of revolutions produced by the powers of nature without the intervention of any external deity.” 1. Radhakrishnan, S. : Indian Philosophy, Vol. I, p. 314.
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