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146 : Sramaņa, Vol 58, No. 1/January-March 2007
The splendor and bliss of the state of paramātmā (supreme soul) is super-sensuous, incomparable, infinite, indestructible, ineffable, and transcends all the similes of the world. As Acārārgasūtra states, in the state of perfect Self "all sounds recoil thence where speculation has no room nor does the mind penetrate there... he perceives, he knows but there is no analogy; its essence is without form; there is no condition of the unconditioned."9
It may be pointed out that of the five Jiva bhāvas (experiential or emotional states or psychic conditions of consciousness), whereas four of them, the rising (audayika), suppressing (aupaśamika) annihilating (kṣāyika) and mixed process of partly eradication and partly suppression (kşayopaśamika) are causally connected with or related to Physical (dravya) karma or karmaupādhis, the pariņāmika-bhāva is the intrinsic and essential nature of the Self, unconditioned by karmas (both physical and psychic). This last one is nirupādhi character; it is non-relational (nirapekṣa), having no causal connection with samsāra (world) or mokşa (salvation); (mokṣa also is a contrivance or product of karmaupādhi, since it has causal connection with karmas). It is nișkriya (inactive) bhāva and according to this bhāva the Jivas may be said to have neither beginning nor end; as spiritual existences they are eternal. Neither are they created nor can they be destroyed. 10 Thus, while the first four bhāvas are relational or related to karma-upādhi, the last bhāva is non-relational (nirapeksa), not related to anything and is unconditioned. It is against this background or the bedrock of this parama (supreme), absolute, pariņāmika bhāva the other bhāvas work and the superstructure of Jaina Relativism is built.
When the Self attains the state of paramātmā (supreme soul or the state of Godhood), the various relational aspects or viewpoints (nayas), the distinctions of comprehensive knowledge (pramāņa) and particular viewpoints, and different ways of installing or placing things in words (niksepa), which are useful and necessary means of discussing and ascertaining the nature of reality
