Prashamratiprakaran

Author(s): Umaswati, Umaswami, Yajneshwar S Shastri
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

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as an advocate of dualism, it admits two kinds of reality, the Jiva and Ajīva which are obviously contradictorily related to each other.
Soul substance is characterised by consciousness and life and nonsoul (ajiva) by the opposite of these. Consciousness is the essential nature of the soul, nonconsciousness is the common feature of the non-soul. The non-soul substance is divided into five kinds: Dharma (medium of motion), àdharma (medium of rest), ākāśa (Space', pudgala (matter), and Kala (time). These together with soul, constitute the six substances of Jainism. They are again classified into astikāya (extended), anastikāya (non-extended). Substances of first kind exist like a body possessing extension. Except time substance all other substances are extended. Time is not extended substance. Again pudgala alone has a form, all other substances are formless (Pr. 207). Dharmastikāya, adharmästikaya and Akāśāstikaya are ane each, Pudgala, Jiva and Kala are infinite in number (Pr. 214). This universe is, thus, divided into two halves respectively-consisting of the Jivas and the Ajivas.
Jiva is spiritual conscious substance. It is spiritual in the sense that it is immaterial, incorporeal and formless (amūrta) and distinct from the body and the senses organs. It is coextenscive with the body (svadeha parimāṇa) which it occupies. It is endowed with capacity of knowing, feeling and acting. It is characterised by consiousness, a quality that distinguishes it from all other non-soul substances. It is agent of action. All other substances lack this capacity of action. As an agent of action the Jiva is possessed of freedom of will,
The Jiva endowed with freedom of will is capable to choose either path of bondage or path of emancipation. Jainism believes in plurality
of souls. Jivas are many in number.
Dharma is the principle of motion. It is not used in the sense of religious merit, moral ought. This evaluated word is used in the most unusual sense of the imperceptible medium of motion of matter as well as the soul. It is an ontological reality, constituent of the physical universe. But it does not make the spiritual and the material substance move. On the contrary, these move of themselves. Dharma is only the medium of their motion just as water is the medium of the movement of the fish. While it itself does not move, it provides the movementmedium for substances which have capacity of moving. It is not only devoid of motion, but it is also lacking in all sensible qualities such as colour, taste, smell etc. Dharma is thus, the unitory, incorporeal, imperceptible, immobile, all pervasive and continuous medium of motion.