Q-1: What are the main types of "Worldly" living beings?
A-1: The two main types of worldly living beings are
a. Mobile: As a result of mobility Naam Karma, the living being is able
ambulate.
b. Immobile: As a result of immobility Naam Karma, the living being is fixed at one
place. For example trees, rocks, water, fire and air.
Q-2: How are these mobile- immobile worldly living beings further segregated?
A-2: They are further segregated in to 14 types:
a. Invisible with one sense: They are infinitely tiny so as to be not seen by any
available technology. They can only be known and seen by the infinitely knowledgeable God. They only have a sense of touch. They cannot be killed by air, water, fire or weaponry.
b. Visible with one sense. These can be killed by air, water, fire or weaponry
c. Living beings with TWO senses (touch and taste)
d. Living beings with THREE senses (touch, taste and smell)
e. Living beings with FOUR senses (touch, taste, smell and see)
f. Living beings with FIVE senses and No MIND (touch, taste, smell, see and hear)
g. Living beings with FIVE senses and a MIND (touch, taste, smell, see and hear)
These 7 types are further split dichotomously-
a. Complete/ Fulfilled- Achieved all the senses that a living being in their category must achieve. For example, a physically and mentally healthy child.
b. Incomplete/ Unfulfilled: Achieved only some of the senses and deprived of others. For example, a child born with deafness, blindness or with Down's syndrome.
All in all, the mobile- immobile living beings are segregated in to 14 types.
Q-3: How are the immobile living beings segregated?
A-3: The immobile living beings are segregated in 5 types:
a. Soil
b. Water
c. Fire
d. Air
e. Vegetation (Fruits, vegetables etc)
Q-4: How many abilities/ powers can a living being potentially achieve to become complete/ fulfilled?
A-4: A living being can potentially achieve 6 abilities/ powers to be complete/ fulfilled:
a. Food: Ability to consume food and convert it in to energy
b. Body: Ability to convert the consumed food to the elements that make a body- blood, muscle, fat, bones, secretions etc
c. Senses: Ability to develop senses from the elements that made the body
d. Respirations: Ability to inhale and exhale
e. Speech: Ability to communicate
f. Mind: Ability to think
Q-5: How many of these abilities/ powers can be achieved by living beings of different categories?
A-5:
a.Living being with one sense can achieve the ability of food, body, senses(touch only) and respirations.
b. Living being with 2, 3,or 4 senses and those who have 5 senses and NO mind can achieve the ability of food, body, senses, respirations and speech.
c. Living being with 5 senses and a mind can achieve all the 6 abilities/ powers.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Jeev Tattva: The Soul Element- Part 1
Q-1: What is Jeev?
A-1: An element that has signs of life and displays characteristic of "Upyog" or "Attentiveness to one's true nature" is considered Jeev. In other words, an element that possesses dravya-prana and Bhav- Prana and can experience happiness and sadness is called Jeev.
Q-2: What is Dravya-Prana and Bhava-Prana?
A-2:
A. Dravya-Prana: Unification with that which permits life and separation from that which results in death is called Dravya Prana. Dravya Prana has 10 facets to it:
a. 5 senses- touch, taste, smell, sight and hearing
b. 3 Powers of life: Power of Mind, Power of Speech and the Power of Body
c. Power of Respirations: The power that enables inspiration and expiration
d. Age Or Aayushya: That what permits stay in a particular body for a certain
length of time
B. Bhava-Prana: The virtues of Soul are termed as Bhava-Prana. Bhava-Prana has 4 facets to it.
a. Knowledge- Gyan
b. Faith- Darshan
c. Happiness- Sukh
d. Strength/ Courage- Virya
Q-3: What are the main types of Jeev tattva?
A-3: There are two main types of Jeev:
a. Bound to the World/ Worldly: Sansaari
b. Free from the world/ Free (All Accomplished): Siddha
Q-4: What does it mean to be "Worldly"?
A-4: All living beings residing in the 4 broadly categorized venues of existence (called Gatee in Jainism) are considered to be "Worldly". Every living being that is not free from the world is essentially worldly.
Q-5: What are these 4 venues of existence (Gatee) for all worldly living beings?
A-5: a. Hell b. Animal kingdom c. Human beings d. Heaven
Q-6: What does it mean to be "Free"?
A-6: The soul or Jeev tattva that is free from life- death, disease- despair, hunger- thirst, karma and body is considered to be Free. The Free Soul does not have to roam around in the 4 venues of existence. The Free Soul resides at the top most part of the universe, called the Siddha-Kshetra (the place for the freed and all accomplished). The Free Soul never ever has to return to this world. The Free Soul endowed with infinite knowledge, infinite faith, infinite happiness, infinite strength and infinite other virtues. The Free Soul is forever immersed in the ocean of infinite self-happiness.
A-1: An element that has signs of life and displays characteristic of "Upyog" or "Attentiveness to one's true nature" is considered Jeev. In other words, an element that possesses dravya-prana and Bhav- Prana and can experience happiness and sadness is called Jeev.
Q-2: What is Dravya-Prana and Bhava-Prana?
A-2:
A. Dravya-Prana: Unification with that which permits life and separation from that which results in death is called Dravya Prana. Dravya Prana has 10 facets to it:
a. 5 senses- touch, taste, smell, sight and hearing
b. 3 Powers of life: Power of Mind, Power of Speech and the Power of Body
c. Power of Respirations: The power that enables inspiration and expiration
d. Age Or Aayushya: That what permits stay in a particular body for a certain
length of time
B. Bhava-Prana: The virtues of Soul are termed as Bhava-Prana. Bhava-Prana has 4 facets to it.
a. Knowledge- Gyan
b. Faith- Darshan
c. Happiness- Sukh
d. Strength/ Courage- Virya
Q-3: What are the main types of Jeev tattva?
A-3: There are two main types of Jeev:
a. Bound to the World/ Worldly: Sansaari
b. Free from the world/ Free (All Accomplished): Siddha
Q-4: What does it mean to be "Worldly"?
A-4: All living beings residing in the 4 broadly categorized venues of existence (called Gatee in Jainism) are considered to be "Worldly". Every living being that is not free from the world is essentially worldly.
Q-5: What are these 4 venues of existence (Gatee) for all worldly living beings?
A-5: a. Hell b. Animal kingdom c. Human beings d. Heaven
Q-6: What does it mean to be "Free"?
A-6: The soul or Jeev tattva that is free from life- death, disease- despair, hunger- thirst, karma and body is considered to be Free. The Free Soul does not have to roam around in the 4 venues of existence. The Free Soul resides at the top most part of the universe, called the Siddha-Kshetra (the place for the freed and all accomplished). The Free Soul never ever has to return to this world. The Free Soul endowed with infinite knowledge, infinite faith, infinite happiness, infinite strength and infinite other virtues. The Free Soul is forever immersed in the ocean of infinite self-happiness.
CREDIT FOR COMPILATION- Shri Bharatbhai Shah
The material posted here under the title "Jain Siddhant Parichay" is a compilation of Shri Bharatbhai J. Shah and was distributed during one of his several workshops on Jainism.
Shri Bharatbhai is a resident of Navrangpura, Amdavad (Gujarat, India). He has been serving as the President of Navrangpura Upashray for decades. For the past 15 years or more he has devoted his entire life towards spreading the message of Jainism in Amdavad and beyond. While he may be "retired" person, the amount of time he puts in towards fulfillment of his mission defies the definition of retirement. His day begins around 7 am at the Upashray and he leaves Upashray just before Sunset. And this schedule is maintained 365 days of the year.
He is perhaps one of the most, if not the most, well-known Jain personality in the entire Jain community. He has this unparalleled reputation because he preaches Jainism by living Jainism. He walks the walk! A lot can be learnt about Jainism simply by watching Bharatbhai. Jainism shines in every aspect of Bharatbhai's life. Be it at the Upashray, be it at his home with his family or be it while he is engaged in worldly matters. Bharatbhai is an embodiment of Jainism being woven in to every aspect of life.
A brief biography on Shri Bharatbhai is available on www.aadarshamdavad.org
Shri Bharatbhai is a resident of Navrangpura, Amdavad (Gujarat, India). He has been serving as the President of Navrangpura Upashray for decades. For the past 15 years or more he has devoted his entire life towards spreading the message of Jainism in Amdavad and beyond. While he may be "retired" person, the amount of time he puts in towards fulfillment of his mission defies the definition of retirement. His day begins around 7 am at the Upashray and he leaves Upashray just before Sunset. And this schedule is maintained 365 days of the year.
He is perhaps one of the most, if not the most, well-known Jain personality in the entire Jain community. He has this unparalleled reputation because he preaches Jainism by living Jainism. He walks the walk! A lot can be learnt about Jainism simply by watching Bharatbhai. Jainism shines in every aspect of Bharatbhai's life. Be it at the Upashray, be it at his home with his family or be it while he is engaged in worldly matters. Bharatbhai is an embodiment of Jainism being woven in to every aspect of life.
A brief biography on Shri Bharatbhai is available on www.aadarshamdavad.org
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Nav Tattva- Nine fundamental elements
Q-1: What is Tattva?
A-1: Tattva means elements. Tattva provides us with a definition criteria of each and every thing that we see around us in this universe. At the very fundamental level, every element existing in this universe has it's own unique"NATURE". And it is this uniqueness of "NATURE" that gives identity to each of these elements. For example, water by nature is cool and fire by nature is hot.
Q-2: How many Tattva exist and what are they?
A-2: There are 9 tattva identified in Jainism and they are as follows-
a. Jeev: Life/ Soul/ Aatma
b. Ajeev: Non-living things (this includes Karma)
c. Punya: Good/ Pious deeds (deeds= karma)
d. Paap: Bad/ Evil deeds
e. Aashrav: The magnetic force generated by the state of mind to attract good or bad deeds (karma)
f. Samvar: Samvar is the state of mind that blocks Aashrav. Samvar is a desirable state of mind. This will be elaborated later.
g. Nirjara: The process of relieving the soul of karma
h. Bandh: The process of imprisoning the soul with karma.
i. Moksha: The state of complete freedom of the soul from Karma. This is the final destination, the ultimate goal of Jainism.
Q-3: Where in the Jain Aagams are these Nav Tattva mentioned?
A-3: Nav Tattva are mentioned in the "Uttaradhyayan Sutra", Chapter 28, Title "Moksha Maarg"
A-1: Tattva means elements. Tattva provides us with a definition criteria of each and every thing that we see around us in this universe. At the very fundamental level, every element existing in this universe has it's own unique"NATURE". And it is this uniqueness of "NATURE" that gives identity to each of these elements. For example, water by nature is cool and fire by nature is hot.
Q-2: How many Tattva exist and what are they?
A-2: There are 9 tattva identified in Jainism and they are as follows-
a. Jeev: Life/ Soul/ Aatma
b. Ajeev: Non-living things (this includes Karma)
c. Punya: Good/ Pious deeds (deeds= karma)
d. Paap: Bad/ Evil deeds
e. Aashrav: The magnetic force generated by the state of mind to attract good or bad deeds (karma)
f. Samvar: Samvar is the state of mind that blocks Aashrav. Samvar is a desirable state of mind. This will be elaborated later.
g. Nirjara: The process of relieving the soul of karma
h. Bandh: The process of imprisoning the soul with karma.
i. Moksha: The state of complete freedom of the soul from Karma. This is the final destination, the ultimate goal of Jainism.
Q-3: Where in the Jain Aagams are these Nav Tattva mentioned?
A-3: Nav Tattva are mentioned in the "Uttaradhyayan Sutra", Chapter 28, Title "Moksha Maarg"
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