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Concept of Jiva in Jaina Metaphysics
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Jivas are divided into four kinds: 1. Two sensed Jīvas having touch and taste, for example,
worm etc: Three sensed Jivas having touch and taste and smell.
For example, ants etc. 3. Four sensed Jīvas having touch, taste, smell and sight,
for example, bumble-bee etc. 4. Five sensed Jīvas having touch, taste, smell and sight
and hearing, for example human beings etc.
Thus we find that in each class there is one sense organ more than those of the one proceeding it.
The five sensed Jīvas are again classified into two classes?(i) Samanaska Jiva having mana or mind as man. (ii) Amanaska Jiva having no mind as animals. The Jīvas have their status (Gatiyar):
i. Manuşya- Human being. ii. Tiryamca- Other than human being living on this world. iii. Deva-Deities living in heaven. iv. Nāraka- Those who reside in hell.
It is asserted that Jīvas are born in these four gatis according to their punya karmas i.e. demerits. Jainism further believes that for mokşa, i.e. complete salvation, birth in the human form is essential and that those in order forms or gatis will attain salvation only after taking birth in manusya-gati, i.e. human form.
To conclude the concept of Jiva in Jaina metaphysics, it is peculiar in many respect that of concept of Jīva maintained by other philosophical traditions. In Jainism Jīva is eternal as well as many. The pure consciousness, Jīvadue to being defiled by Karmas, forgets its true nature of infinite knowledge, infinite perception, infinite power and infinite bliss and experiences sorrow and sufferings till it
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