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THE SCIENTIFIC FOUNDATIONS OF JAINISM
Every living being is capable of taking the above four directions of these mental states, namely:
Hellish state, Heavenly state, Human state, and Animalistic state and are represented symbolically in Fig. 3.3 in the form of a swastika; the central point being the mind. (Note that the Nazis misused the symbol by using its reflection). These directions are again influenced by the density of the karmic matter, and they should be taken into account while placing a living being on the life-axis of a given species.
The literal interpretations of these states correspond to the four states of existence: hell-being, heavenly being, animal/plant life and human being respectively. At the central point passes the axis of rotation through different lives. Our approach follows Kundakunda whereby “the self by its own thought activity creates for itself the four forms of these beings” (see, Appendix, 3B, q.3.1). 3.5 GLOSSARY
Soul/ living being=Jiva Non-soul/ Insentient object = Ajiva Micro-organisms = Nigoda
Five-spiritually high (= Pañca-para meşthin)
Saint=Sādhu Spiritual teacher=Upādhayāya Spiritual master= Ācārya Perfect being= Arihanta Pure soul/ liberated soul=Siddha
Four Existences (= Gati)
Heavenly being=Deva Hellish being= Nāraki Animal/ Plant life= Tiryañca Human= Manuşya
NOTES
P.S. Jaini, p. 109. “At the very bottom of this scale hence comprising the lowest form of life, are the so-called nigoda. These creatures are sub-microscopic and possess only one sense, that of touch. They are so tiny and undifferentiated that they lack even individual bodies; ..... Just above the nigoda is another group of single-sense organisms whose members take the very elements--the subtlest possible units of matter-as their bodies; hence they are called the earth bodies (prthvi-kāyika), water-bodies (āpo-kāyika), fire bodies (tejo-kāyika), and air bodies (vāyu-kāyika), respectively."
