Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

Author(s): J C Sikdar
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 588

Sec. 17
STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SŪTRA
563
action, etc., upto determinate and inderminate consciousness of beings do not take place."
Plurality of soul
The Bhs believes in the plurality of souls, having a unity running on the ground that two sentient beings are individual absorbers (pratyekāhārā) and transformers of food and they bind separate bodies, and assimilate matters or form bodies independently. Further they differ in regard to their respective senses, conditions of soul, attitudes of mind, knowledges and activities.
Classification of soul
Soul is studied from eight points of view, viz. substance (dravya), passion (kasāya), activity (yoga), consciousness (upayoga), knowledge (jnana), self-awareness (darsana), conduct (caritra), and energy (vīrya). Accordingly there are stated to be eight kinds of soul, viz. dravyātmā (soul existing as substance), kasāyātmā (soul having passion), yogātmā (soul endowed with activity), upayogātmā (soul endowed with consciousness), Jrānātmā (soul endowed with knowledge), darkanātmā (soul endowed with self-awareness), cāritrātmā (soul in conduct) and vīryātmā (soul endowed with energy).
There exists psychologically a mutual relation among these eight kinds of soul, for they are inter-connected as the different aspects of one substance, namely, soul. For example, he who has dravyātmā has in some respect kasāyātmā and he has not it in other respect. But he who is endowed with kasāyātmā has invariably dravyātmā.' Characteristics of Soul
The BhS explains that the soul is jfiānı (i.e. endowed with right knowledge) in some respect and also ajñāna (i.e. endowed with wrong knowledge) in other respect, but knowledge itself is invariably the soul, because consciousness (upayoga) is the attribute of the soul.
1 Bh8, 20, 3, 666.
16, 12, 10, 468.
? Ib, 20, 1, 663. 6 16, 12, 10, 468.
3 Ib, 12, 10, 464.