Soul in Jainism
J?va
(
Sanskrit
:
???
) or
?tman
(
;
Sanskrit
:
??????
) is a philosophical term used within
Jainism
to identify the
soul
.
[1]
As per
Jain cosmology
,
j?va
or soul is the principle of
sentience
and is one of the
tattvas
or one of the fundamental substances forming part of the universe. The Jain metaphysics, states Jagmanderlal Jaini, divides the universe into two independent, everlasting, co-existing and uncreated categories called the
jiva
(soul) and the
ajiva
(
Sanskrit
:
????
non-soul).
[2]
This basic premise of Jainism makes it a dualistic philosophy.
The
jiva
, according to Jainism, is an essential part of how the process of
karma
,
rebirth
and the process of liberation from rebirth works.
[4]
Soul substance
[
edit
]
Jains regard soul as one of the six fundamental and eternal substances (
dravyas
) which forms the universe. The two states of soul substance are mentioned in the Jain texts. These are ? Sv?bhva (pure or natural) and Vibh?va (impure or unnatural state). Souls in transmigration are in impure state and liberated ones are said to be in natural or pure state.
[5]
Jain philosophy
is the oldest Indian philosophy that completely separates matter from the soul.
[1]
According to
The Theosophist
, "some religionists hold that Atman (Spirit) and Paramatman (God) are identical, while others assert that they are distinct; but a Jain will say that Atman and Paramatman are identical as well as distinct."
[6]
The five vows of Jain practice are believed in Jainism to aid in freeing the
j?va
from karmic matter, reduce negative karmic effects and accrue positive karmic benefits.
[4]
Souls and rebirth
[
edit
]
Depiction of the concept of soul (in transmigration) in Jainism. Golden color represents
nokarma
? the quasi-karmic matter, Cyan color depicts
dravya karma
? the subtle karmic matter, orange represents the
bhav karma
? the psycho-physical karmic matter and White depicts
sudhatma
, the pure consciousness.
Classification of
Sa?s?ri J?vas
(Transmigrating Souls) as per Jainism.
According to Jain philosophy, rebirth occurs through soul. Depending on the karmic particles attached to a soul, Jain theology states a being is reborn in one of four
gatis
(states of existence), namely, heavenly being (
deva
), human (
manushya
), hell being (
naraki
) and animals and plants (
triyancha
).
Besides this there also exist a sub-microscopic life form,
Nigoda
, possessing only one sense, i.e., of touch.
In Jain beliefs, souls begin their journey in a primordial state, and exist in a state of consciousness continuum that is constantly evolving through
Sa?s?ra
.
Some evolve to a higher state, some regress asserts the Jaina theory, a movement that is driven by the karma.
Further, Jaina traditions believe that there exist
Abhavya
(incapable), or a class of souls that can never attain
moksha
(liberation).
[12]
The
Abhavya
state of soul is entered after an intentional and shockingly evil act.
Jainism considers souls as pluralistic each in a karma-samsara cycle, and does not subscribe to
Advaita
style
nondualism
of Hinduism, or
Advaya
style nondualism of Buddhism.
[12]
The Jaina theosophy, like ancient
Ajivika
, but unlike Hindu and Buddhist theosophies, asserts that each soul passes through 8,400,000 birth-situations, as they circle through
Sa?s?ra
.
[15]
As the soul cycles, states Padmanabh Jaini, Jainism traditions believe that it goes through five types of bodies: earth bodies, water bodies, fire bodies, air bodies and vegetable lives.
With all human and non-human activities, such as rainfall, agriculture, eating and even breathing, minuscule living beings are taking birth or dying, their souls are believed to be constantly changing bodies. Perturbing, harming or killing any life form, including any human being, is considered a sin in Jainism, with negative karmic effects.
[18]
A liberated soul in Jainism is one who has gone beyond
Sa?s?ra
, is at the apex, is omniscient, remains there eternally, and is known as a
Siddha
.
A male human being is considered closest to the apex with the potential to achieve liberation, particularly through asceticism. Women must gain karmic merit, to be reborn as man, and only then can they achieve spiritual liberation in Jainism, particularly in the Digambara sect of Jainism;
[20]
[21]
however, this view has been historically debated within Jainism and different Jaina sects have expressed different views, particularly the Shvetambara sect that believes that women too can achieve liberation from
Sa?s?ra
.
[21]
[22]
In contrast to Buddhist texts which do not expressly or unambiguously condemn injuring or killing plants and minor life forms, Jaina texts do. Jainism considers it a bad karma to injure plants and minor life forms with negative impact on a soul's
Sa?s?ra
.
[23]
However, some texts in Buddhism and Hinduism do caution a person from injuring all life forms, including plants and seeds.
[23]
[24]
[25]
Real Self
[
edit
]
According to the Jain text,
Samayas?ra
:
Know that the
Jiva
(soul) which rests on pure faith, knowledge, and conduct, alone is the Real Self. The one which is conditioned by the karmic matter is to be known as the impure self. ? Verse 1-2-2
According to Vijay Jain, the souls which rest on the pure self are called the Real Self, and only
arihant
and
Siddhas
are the Real Self.
Stages of spiritual development
[
edit
]
Jain texts explain that there are fourteen stages of spiritual development called
Gunasthana
. These are:
[27]
- Mithyadristi
: The stage of wrong believer
- Sas?dana
: downfall from right faith
- Misradrsti
: mixed right and wrong belief
- Avirata samyagdrsti
: vowless right belief
- De?avirata
: The stage of partial self-control
- Pramattasamyata
: Slightly imperfect vows
- Apramatta samyata
: Perfect vows
- Ap?rvakara?a
: New thought-activity
- Aniv?ttib?dara-s?mpar?ya
: advanced thought-activity (Passions are still occurring)
- Sukshma samparaya
: slightest delusion
- Upa??nta-kasaya
: subsided delusion
- Ks?na kas?ya
: destroyed delusion
- Sayogi kevali
: Omniscience with vibration
- Ayogi kevali
: The stage of omniscience without any activity
Classification
[
edit
]
According to Jainism, sentient beings are ranked based on their senses. Four basic elements, viz. earth, water, air and fire ranks among the lowest in them.
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
Citation
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
"dravya - Jainism"
.
Encyclopædia Britannica
.
- ^
Jagmanderlal Jaini (2013).
Outlines of Jainism
. Cambridge University Press. pp. xxii?xxiii.
ISBN
978-1-107-61567-0
.
- ^
a
b
Jeffery D. Long (2009).
Jainism: An Introduction
. I. B. Tauris. pp. 93?100.
ISBN
978-1-84511-625-5
.
- ^
Kundakunda, Acharya; Chakravarti, Appaswami; Up?dhye, ?din?tha Nemin?tha (2001).
?c?rya Kundakunda's Panc?stik?ya-s?ra
. Bharatiya Jnanpith. p. 16.
ISBN
978-81-263-1813-1
.
- ^
The Theosophist
. Theosophical Publishing House. 1609. p. 553.
For instance, some religionists hold that Atman (Spirit) and Paramatman (God) are one, while others assert that they are distinct; but a Jain will say that Atman and Paramatman are one as well as distinct.
- ^
a
b
Paul Dundas (2003).
The Jains
. Routledge. pp. 104?105.
ISBN
978-0415266055
.
- ^
Padmanabh S. Jaini (2000).
Collected Papers on Jaina Studies
. Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 130?131.
ISBN
978-81-208-1691-6
.
- ^
Tara Sethia (2004).
Ahims?, Anek?nta, and Jainism
. Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 30?31.
ISBN
978-81-208-2036-4
.
- ^
Jeffery D Long (2013).
Jainism: An Introduction
. I.B.Tauris. pp. 36?37.
ISBN
978-0-85773-656-7
.
- ^
a
b
Graham Harvey (2016).
Religions in Focus: New Approaches to Tradition and Contemporary Practices
. Routledge. pp. 182?183.
ISBN
978-1-134-93690-8
.
- ^
Paul Dundas (2003).
The Jains
. Routledge. pp. 55?59.
ISBN
978-0415266055
.
- ^
a
b
Lambert Schmithausen
(1991), Buddhism and Nature, Studia Philologica Buddhica, The International Institute for Buddhist Studies, Tokyo Japan, pages 6?7
- ^
Rod Preece
(1999), Animals and Nature: Cultural Myths, Cultural Realities,
ISBN
978-0-7748-0725-8
, University of British Columbia Press, pages 212?217
- ^
Christopher Chapple (1990), Ecological Nonviolence and the Hindu Tradition, in
Perspectives on Nonviolence
, Springer,
ISBN
978-1-4612-4458-5
, pages 168?177;
L Alsdorf (1962), Beitrage zur Geschichte von Vegetarismus und Rinderverehrung in Indien, Akademie der Wissenschaften und der Literatur, F. Steiner Wiesbaden, pages 592?593
- ^
Jain, Vijay K (26 March 2014).
Acarya Pujyapada's Istopadesa ? the Golden Discourse
. Vikalp Printers. p. 14.
ISBN
9788190363969
.
Sources
[
edit
]
- Doniger, Wendy
, ed. (1993),
Purana Perennis: Reciprocity and Transformation in Hindu and Jaina Texts
,
State University of New York Press
,
ISBN
0-7914-1381-0
- Jaini, Jagmander Lal (2013),
Outlines of Jainism
, Cambridge University Press,
ISBN
978-1-107-61567-0
- Jain, Vijay K. (2012),
Acharya Kundkund's Samayasara
, Vikalp Printers,
ISBN
978-81-903639-3-8
,
Non-Copyright
- Jaini, Padmanabh S.
(1998) [1979],
The Jaina Path of Purification
,
Delhi
:
Motilal Banarsidass
,
ISBN
81-208-1578-5
- Padmanabh Jaini (1980). Wendy Doniger (ed.).
Karma and Rebirth in Classical Indian Traditions
. University of California Press.
ISBN
978-0-520-03923-0
.
External links
[
edit
]