Philosophy In Jain Agams: Types of Soul

According to Jain philosophy, soul is of two types - liberated (siddha)and worldly (sansārī).^[1] The worldly soul is with karma, therefore, it is subject to rebirth (aupapātika). The aupapātika soul takes birth in different modes of life and moves in various realms of existence (life) continuously experiencing birth and death. It is called as the worldly soul. According to dravyārthika naya (substantial viewpoint), due to karmic bondage, soul resides in the body. Thus it is acceptable logically as well as intellectually. It is occupied with material entities, subject to rebirths, possesses genders and relatively corporeal in mundane (worldly) state.^[2] By analyzing the nature of substance, with the application of niścaya (transcendental) and vyavahāra (empirical) naya (view point), Jain thinkers have given a new dimension to the concept of substance. In the analysis of the soul's nature, the same vision has been applied in the āgamic literature. The worldly state of a soul can be explained by vyavahāra naya i.e. empirical view point. The pure state of the soul cannot be a subject matter of vyavahāra naya. Only in the acknowledged field of niścaya naya, the pure state of the soul can be apprehended.

Pure soul

The pure soul is free from karmic bondage. Soul is 'amūrta'. The term 'mūrta' and 'amūrta' needs to be understood properly. Earlier the word mūrta was understood as that which can be seen and amūrtaas that which cannot be seen. So, the words like corporeal and non-corporeal were used respectively. But Acharya Mahapragya has given a new definition to these words. According to him, mūrta word has originated from the root word 'mūrccha' in Sanskrit. One meaning of which is samuchhraya which means this can take different shapes. Accordingly its meaning should be that which has the capacity to take shape, pure soul is non-corporeal because it is free from body. So it is neither accessible through words nor by logic. Even intelligence cannot grasp it. Word, logic and intelligence cannot grasp it because the ability of expression is limited. Word, logic and intelligence - all these faculties are the means of knowledge, but the pure soul cannot be experienced through them. The Ṛṣi of Ācārāṅga is aware of this truth as it is said -

'savve sarā niyaṭṭaṅti, takkā jattha na vijjaī, maī tattha na gāhiyā'^[3]

'[All the words bounce back from there because the soul is not explainable by words. Logic cannot be applied, because the soul is not accessible through reasoning and it is beyond the reach of intellect]'