If we examine the point carefully, we find that the
whole universe is made up of two entities. The whole universe is but a
manifestation or expansion of these two principles. Those two entities are
Jiva that which has life; and Ajiv that which has no life; or that which
is conscious and that which is inert. All agitations and restlessness
result from those two only. The Jiva is also called Atma, soul or Chetan
the conscious entity. That which has no consciousness and that which has
no life is called Ajiv. All the things in this universe both visible and
invisible can be classified into these two kinds.
Lord Jineswar has divided all things in this universe
into nine entities so that we may have a comprehensive knowledge of all of
(1) Jiva (living things), (2) Ajiva (Non living things)
(3) Punya (Merit), (4) Pap (Sins). (5) Ashrav (Evil actions) (6) Samvar
(good deeds), (7) Bandh (bondage), (8) Nirjara (Free from Karmas), (9)
The Jiv Tatva
The Jiva is that which grows; which decays, that which
fluctuates and varies, that which eats. sleeps, is awake, acts, fears.
takes rest, makes attempts for self-defense and that which can reproduce.
All these qualities appear in the Jiva when it enters a physical body.
These are the external features of the Jivatm�.
The inner feature of life is Chetan or consciousness.
The Jain dharma believes that the soul or Jiva embodies consciousness. It
goes on manifesting itself in various states, retaining its original and
essential form, Gold remains as gold whatever form it may take, If a
goldring is broken. out of that some other ornament can be made, but the
basic substance, gold remains as gold. Only its external form changes. In
the same manner, the soul remains in its original and essential form
whatever external form it may assume. Only its states keep changing.
Transformations keep appearing. The Jiva according to its Karmas gets into
any form of the eighty lakh yonis or forms and remains in that form for a
certain fixed duration. The soul when it is in Samsar (the cycle of birth
and rebirth) becomes enslaved to the senses; and because of passions like
attachment and hatred does good and evil deeds and it also experiences the
effect of those good and evil actions.
The soul assumes the dimensions proportionate to the
body and dwells in it. In accordance with the dimensions of the body, the
soul also fluctuates (grows large or small). Just as time is without a
beginning and an end; even the soul is without a beginning and an end and
is boundless; and imperishable. The body can consume food and water; can
speak and move because of the presence of the soul in it; and because for
all these activities the motive force is the soul.
The Jain dharma clearly believes that the soul is
conscious, formless, and animate. Awareness is the feature of
consciousness. This shows itself in the form of sorrow and happiness,
knowledge and self-realization. The soul is spotless and formless, The
soul is neither masculine nor feminine. It is a collection or composite of
countless conscious, formless entities and is formless. It has no shape.
There are infinite number of souls in the universe.
The kinds of Jivas
Ordinarily the Jivas can be divided into two
(1) Mukt Atma: The soul that is bodiless and has
been once for all delivered from the bondage of Karmas.
(2) Samsari Atma: (two kinds) The soul that has a
body and is caught in the bondage of Karmas.
(1) Tras- Moving.
The Jivas that by their own will move and act and are
of two senses; three senses; four senses and five senses come under this
category called Tras.
(2) Sthavar- Unmoving.
The earth, water, fire, air and vegetation - these
Jivas that cannot move and act by their will come under this category
There are five kinds among the Jivas belonging to the
category called Sthavar.
The following ones which have only one sense namely the
sense of touch are called Ekendriyas.
Prithvikaya: Clay, sand, metal, coral, etc.
Apkaya: Water-creatures, every kind of water, ice, dew,
fog, iceberg, rain etc.
Teukaya: The lives of fire, various tempests, flames,
blazes, lightnings, forest-fires, hot ash etc.
Vayukaya: The lives of air. atmosphere, all kinds of
wind, tempests. whirl-winds, cyclones etc.
Vanaspati Kaya: two types - Trees and plants, green
plants, raw vegetables, fruits, flowers, trees, leaves, branches, seeds,
Sadharan : Common - That which has a body but in which
the jiva is endless. Roots like fungus - mould, etc. These are also called
Pratyek : Single or separate - A single soul dwelling
in a single body. A separate soul dwells in each of these things: tree,
branch, skin or case, flower, leaf, seed etc.
Do-indriya : The Jiva that has two senses They have two
senses, namely, skin and tongue. Conch-shell, Cowries, germs, the microbes
in stale food, the minute creatures in water, the worms that eat away wood
Te-indriya : Those having three senses. These have
skin, tongue and ears. Bugs, lice, white ants, ants, moths and insects in
wheat centipedes etc.
Chaurindriya : Those that have skin, tongue, ears and
eyes. Scorpions, beatles, locusts, house-flies, gad-flies, gnats,
crickets, spiders etc.
Panchendriya : Those that have the five senses, namely,
skin. tongue. ears, eyes and nose.
Narak : The jeevas of Naraka - Hell.
Tiryanch : Animals and birds that live on earth, in
water; and which move in the sky.
Deva : Those jeevas that live in heaven (Devlok) .
Manushya : The jeevas that live in the form of
human beings. There are two kinds among the jeevas possessing the five
Sanjni Panchendriya: Creatures having a mind
(Mind here means brain).
Asanjni Panchendriya - Creatures without a mind.
The six Paryapties - the six abilities.