YJA Convention 2002 07 NJ Fifth

Author(s): Young Jains of America (YJA)
Publisher: Young Jains of America YJA USA

Page 82

Soul in Motion Pravin Shah
in the universe is either living or non
living(jiva or ajiva). Every single living being is an individual eternal soul. However it continuously changes its material body as it passes from one life to another. Metaphysically speaking, all souls, according to their stage of spiritual evolution or progress have a legitimate place on the path of religion. Everyone's position is determined by its Karmic limitations, and its progress depends on its efforts and potentialities. The doctrine of Karma tells us that we are the architects of our own fortune. It is for us to look into ourselves, analyze our motives, estimate our objectives, without slavishly prostrating ourselves before any power for fear or favor.
Jain scholars have divided all souls into four major categories of life, in any of which an individual soul may be reincarnated; (1) animals and plants, (2) gods or heavenly beings, (3) hell creatures, and (4) humans. These four states are often symbolically represented by the four arms of a swastika.
At the lowest extreme there are the tiny nigoda souls, infinitesimally small and short lived, but existing in all parts of the universe. Also Earth, air, fire, water, and plant are populated by tiny soul hardly greater than the nigoda soul. These souls have only one sense, the sense of touch.
notes:
Jain Education International 2010-03
sessions
The living beings above these have taken material life in all the various forms of insects, fish, birds, animals, humans and so on. These souls have two, three, four or, in the case of human and the higher forms of animal life, five of the senses, to include taste, smell, sight and hearing. Human beings come in a rather special category for they have abilities to liberate from karma.
In many Jain books diagrams of the universe will be found. They show the occupied universe (Lokakas) depicted as having a roughly human form, wider at the bottom where the legs are spread, narrowing to the waist, widening out again and then narrowing at the top to the head. At the very top is the resting place of the liberated souls known as Moksha.
Below the Moksha are the upper worlds or heavens in which heavenly beings (gods) reside. The world in which we live is located in the middle (waist) is occupied by humans, animals and plants. Below this are the underworlds or hells. Outside the Lokakas there is nothing but boundless empty space (Alokakas) where there is no life or matter or movement.
The presentation will summarize the soul's journey which starts from a tiny nigod state to its final destination which is Moksha or liberation. During its journey it occupies various forms of life such as plants, animals, humans, and beings of hell and heavens. These various forms of life reside at various places of the occupied universe. ■
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