Jīva (Jainism)
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Jīva (
Soul substance
Jains regard soul as one of the six fundamental and eternal substances (
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 jīva from karmic matter, reduce negative karmic effects and accrue positive karmic benefits.[4]
Souls and rebirth
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).[7] Besides this there also exist a sub-microscopic life form, Nigoda, possessing only one sense, i.e., of touch.[8]
In Jain beliefs, souls begin their journey in a primordial state, and exist in a state of consciousness continuum that is constantly evolving through Saṃsāra.
The Jaina theosophy, like ancient
A liberated soul in Jainism is one who has gone beyond Saṃsāra, is at the apex, is omniscient, remains there eternally, and is known as a Siddha.[19] 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 Saṃsāra.[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 Saṃsāra.[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
According to the Jain text, Samayasāra:
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.[26]
Stages of spiritual development
Jain texts explain that there are fourteen stages of spiritual development called Gunasthana. These are:[27]
- Mithyadristi: The stage of wrong believer
- Sasādana: downfall from right faith
- Misradrsti: mixed right and wrong belief
- Avirata samyagdrsti: vowless right belief
- Deśavirata: The stage of partial self-control
- Pramattasamyata: Slightly imperfect vows
- Apramatta samyata: Perfect vows
- Apūrvakaraņa: New thought-activity
- Anivāttibādara-sāmparāya: advanced thought-activity (Passions are still occurring)
- Sukshma samparaya: slightest delusion
- Upaśānta-kasaya: subsided delusion
- Ksīna kasāya: destroyed delusion
- Sayogi kevali: Omniscience with vibration
- Ayogi kevali: The stage of omniscience without any activity
Classification
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.[28]
See also
- Atma Siddhi
- Atman (Buddhism)
- Atman (Hinduism)
- God in Jainism
- Ratnatraya- Three Jewels of Jainism
References
Citation
- ^ a b "dravya - Jainism". Encyclopædia Britannica.
- ISBN 978-1-107-61567-0.
- ^ Jaini 2013, p. 1.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-84511-625-5.
- 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.
- ^ Jaini 1998, p. 108.
- ^ Jaini 1998, p. 109.
- ^ Padmanabh Jaini 1980, p. 227.
- ^ Padmanabh Jaini 1980, pp. 227–228.
- ^ Padmanabh Jaini 1980, p. 226.
- ^ ISBN 978-0415266055.
- ^ Padmanabh Jaini 1980, p. 225.
- ^ Padmanabh Jaini 1980, p. 228.
- ISBN 978-81-208-1691-6.
- ^ Padmanabh Jaini 1980, pp. 223–224.
- ^ Padmanabh Jaini 1980, pp. 224–225.
- ISBN 978-81-208-2036-4.
- ^ Padmanabh Jaini 1980, pp. 222–223.
- ISBN 978-0-85773-656-7.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-134-93690-8.
- 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
- ISBN 978-0-7748-0725-8, University of British Columbia Press, pages 212–217
- ISBN 978-1-4612-4458-5, pages 168–177;
L Alsdorf (1962), Beiträge zur Geschichte von Vegetarismus und Rinderverehrung in Indien, Akademie der Wissenschaften und der Literatur, F. Steiner Wiesbaden, pages 592–593 - ^ Jain 2012, p. 3.
- ISBN 9788190363969.
- ^ Doniger 1993, p. 238.
Sources
- 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
- 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
- The Jaina Philosophy, The Jīvas, Surendranath Dasgupta, 1940