Fundamentals of Jainism

Pravin K. Shah JAINA Education Committee Jain Study Center of North Carolina 509 Carriage Woods Circle Raleigh, NC 27607-3969 Website: www.jaina.org e-mail: education@jaina.org Tele - 919-859-4994

Jain Beliefs
Fundamental Beliefs
Soul and Karma exist from Eternity Karma is attached to the Soul from Eternity The Soul is in Mithyatva (ignorance and wrong belief) from Eternity The Principle governing the successions of life cycles (Birth, Life, and Death) is Karma. Our Mithyatva and the intention behind our actions of body, mind, and speech continue to bind us with new Karma. Karma / Mithyatva is the root cause of all Sufferings Ultimate goal of life is Liberation from Karma (Removal of Mithyatva in turn removes all Karma).
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Aim of Jainism
To attain Freedom of Soul by Freeing it from its bondage to Karma. Questions
What is Soul? What is Karma? What are their Qualities? What is Bondage? What is Freedom? How is the Soul bounded by Karma? How can one obtain Freedom of the Soul? Answer requires the proper knowledge of the Universe and its substances particularly Soul and Karma and their relationship.

Jain Religion Definition

Absolute Point of View:
The True Nature of a substance is the Religion of a substance

Practical Point of View:

Any activity of Body, Mind and Speech which reduces Kashay (Anger, Ego, Deceit, and Greed) is a religious activity
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Morality vs. Spirituality

Individual Person
Following Law and Order Moral Immoral Not Following Law and Order

Spiritual

Non-spiritual

Morality vs. Religion (Continued)

Jain Morality (Vyavahar Dharma)
Conduct in accordance with the rules prescribed by Arihants / Tirthankars Our action is accompanied by compassion, friendship, love, sympathy, equanimity etc. otherwise our conduct is mere hypocrisy

Jain Religion (Nischaya Dharma)

Purity of soul which results from the above action (Removal of Karma / Mithyatva)
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Universe and its Substances

The Universe is made-up of six eternal and independent substances: Six Universal Substances (Entity/Dravya)
Jiva Pudgal Dharma Adharma Akasa Kl Soul or Living being Matter Principle of Motion Principle of Rest Space Time
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Characteristics of a Substance
Utpada Vyaya Dhrauvya Origination Destruction Permanence

Universe and its Substances

Paryay Every substance is continuously going through Origination and Destruction. These are the Transient Characteristics of a Substance known as Paryay or Modification of a Substance.

Dravya While going through continuous changes, certain qualities of a substance remain unchanged. These are the Permanent Characteristics of a substance known as Dravya of a Substance.

Dravya and Paryay are inseparable.

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Soul - Living Being

Every Soul is Individual, Independent, and Eternal Two Types of Souls
Free or Liberated Soul (Siddha) Bonded or Worldly Soul (Samsari)

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Free or Liberated Soul

Free from all Karma Known as Siddha or God Possesses Infinite (Perfect) Knowledge, Vision, Power, and Bliss Has No Physical Body Free from Cycle of Birth and Death Free from Pain and Pleasure Infinite number Lives in Moksha
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Worldly (Samsari) Soul

Covered with Karma (Matter) Doer of all Karma (Actions) Recipient of Fruits of Karma Wanders in Cycles of Birth and Death Feels Pain and Pleasure Possesses Limited Knowledge, Vision, Power, Bliss Possesses Physical Body (Matter) Possesses Contraction and Expansion properties Infinite Number Capable of becoming Free or Liberated
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Worldly Souls (Continued)

Possess One to Five senses

(because of its association with Matter/Karma) Touch - One Sense Taste - Two Senses Smell - Three Senses Sight - Four Senses Hearing - Five Senses

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One Sense Soul

One Sense Soul is called Ekendria
Earth as body Water as body Fire as body Air as body Plant as body - Prithvikaya - Apakaya - Agnikaya - Vayukaya - Vanaspatikaya

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One Sense Soul (Continued)

Vanaspatikaya (Plant as body) - two types
Pratyek Vanaspatikaya Above ground vegetables, fruits, beans, etc. Each plant has innumerable cells Each cell is occupied by one soul Hence such Plant has Innumerable souls Sadharan Vanaspatikaya
(Nigod or Kandmul ...Potatos, Onions, Carrots etc..)

Under ground vegetables Each plant has innumerable cells Each cell is shared by infinite souls Hence such a Plant has Infinte souls

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Two to Five Sense Souls

Two senses
worms, leeches

- Beindriya - Treindriya

Three senses
ants, lice

Four senses
flies, bees

- Chaurendriya
- Panchendriya

Five senses

animals, birds, humans, heavenly bodies, hellish bodies etc.

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Five Sense Souls

Five sense beings (Panchendriya) are of two types
Living beings without mind Can not attain Samyaktva and hence no liberation Living beings with mind Can attain Samyaktva
However animals, heavenly, and hellish beings cannot attain or observe proper conduct and hence cannot attain liberation Only Human beings can attain Samyaktva and proper conduct and hence liberation

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Matter (Pudgal)
Non-living Substance Possesses No Consciousness, No Knowledge Infinite Number Possesses Body Possesses Senses
Touch, Taste, Smell, Sight, and Hearing

Color Occupies Space Skandha, Skandha-desa, Skandha-pradesa, Paramanu (Atom) 18

Eight Vargana (Matters)

All matters are classified into eight categories
Audaric Vargana Tejas Vargana Aharak Vargana Vaikriya Vargana Karman Vargana Physical body Tejas body - heat, digestion Aharak body - small in size Vaikriya body - small or large Karmic or Causal body Provides breathing Provides mind for thinking Provides speech
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Swashoswsh (Breathing) Vargana Mano (Mind) Vargana

Bhsh (Speech) Vargana

Five Bodies
Matter is composed of five different bodies
Audaric body Physical body Every soul possesses this body Tejas body Tejas body - heat, digestion Every soul possesses this body Aharak body Aharak body - small in size Only certain monks possesses this body Vaikriya body Vaikriya body - small or large Heavenly and hellish beings possess this body Karman body Karmic or Causal body 20 Every soul possesses this body

Karma
Karma is matter (Pudgal) and hence it possesses all characteristics of matter
No consciousness / knowledge Very fine particles Can not be seen/feel/verified Entire Universe is filled with Karma particles

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Principle of Motion (Dharma) and Principle of Rest (Adharma)

Non-living Substance No Consciousness One and Whole No Senses, Color, and Body Exist in Lokakas. Dharma helps motion of Soul/matter Adharma helps to rest Soul and matter
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Space (Akasa)
Space (Akasa) Non-living Substance No Consciousness Everywhere (infinite) One and Whole Self Supported No Form, Color, Touch, Taste, Smell, Sight, Hearing Lokks - Provides space to all other Entities
Soul, Matter, Dharma, Adharma, and Time

Alokks - Infinite Empty Space

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Yojan and Rajlok Measurement

Yojan
1 Danda or Bow = 6 feet 2000 Danda or Bow = 1 Kosha 4 Kosha = 1 Yojan (@ 9.0 miles) Some other books give different measurement 1 Dhanu = 6 feet 4000 Dhanu = 1 Yojan (@4.5 miles) 1000 Yojans = 1 Mahayojan

Rjlok or Rajju
The distance traveled in six months by a ball of iron weighing 1,000 bhar (1000 tolas or 25 lb.) if allowed to fall freely from heaven (Indralok) or A distance traveled by a deva (heavenly being) in six months at a rate of 2,057,152 Yojan in one samay (Samay = unit of time = @1/4 second) = @1.15 x 10E21 miles

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Universe (Lokakas)
Total Height Upper world Height Middle world = 14 Rajju = 7 Rajju

Width = 1 Rajju Height = 1800 Yojan 900 Yojan up and 900 Yojan down from surface

Lower world Loka Volume Loka Volume

Height = 7 Rajju = 343 Cubic Rajju (Digambar) = 239 Cubic Rajju (Swetambar)
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Time (Kal)
One View Imaginary No real existence

Another view Real existence Innumerable time atoms

Measures changes of Soul and Matter Not a cause of changes

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Time (Samay or Kal)

Smallest indivisible portion of Time is called one Samay
Innumerable Samaya 256 Avali Approx 17.5 Kshullak-bhav 3773 Breaths 16,777,216 Avalis 2 Ghadi One Muhurat 30 Muhurat 15 Days 2 Fortnights = One Avali = One Kshullak-bhav = One Breath (inhale + exhale) = One Muhurat (48 minutes) = One Muhurat = One Muhurat = 48 minutes = One Day = One Fortnight = One Month
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Time (Samaya) Continued..

12 Months = One Year 5 Years = One Yuga 8,400,000 x 8,400,000 years = One Purva (70,560,000,000,000 Years) Innumerable Years = One Palyopama 10 x 10,000,000 x 10,000,000 Palyopama = One Sagaropama 20 x 10,000,000 x 10,000,000 Sagaropama = One Time Cycle One Palyopama The time required to empty Sixty Four cubic Gau (512 cubic miles) deep well, completely filled with hair of a seven day old newly born baby and one hair is removed every 100 years.
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Time Cycle
Time Cycle - Kl Chakra
20 x 10,000,000 x 10,000,000 Sgaropam Years

Avasarpini (Declining Era)

10 x 10,000,000 x 10,000,000 Sagaropams from Happiness to Miserable

Utsarpini (Rising Era)

10 x 10,000,000 x 10,000,000 Sagaropams from Miserable to Happiness

Time is a continuous Cycle of Decline and Rise Era

Declining Era (Avasarpini) Time Cycle Human virtues, Natural conditions decline over time

Rising Era (Utsarpini) Time Cycle Human virtues, Natural conditions improve over time
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Time Cycle (continued)

Six parts of Declining Era (Avasarpini) Time Cycle 1. Happy-happy 4 x 10E14 Sagaropama 2. Happy 3 x 10E14 Sagaropama 3. Happy-unhappy 2 x 10E14 Sagaropama 4. Unhappy-happy 1 x 10E14 Sagaropama - 42000 years 5. Unhappy 21000 years (present 2500 years) 6. Unhappy-unhappy 21000 years Six parts of Rising Era (Utsarpini) Time Cycle 1. Unhappy-unhappy 21000 years 2. Unhappy 21000 years 3. Unhappy-happy 1 x 10E14 Sagaropama - 42000 years 4. Happy-unhappy 2 x 10E14 Sagaropama 5. Happy 3 x 10E14 Sagaropama 6. Happy-happy 4 x 10E14 Sagaropama
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