jeeva and moksha

In Jainism, Jiva and soul are more or less described synonymously. When the spiritual or psychic status of the Jiva is described it is referred to as the soul, and when the physical structure about the soul is described it is called Jiva.

Jiva or soul is one which keeps the Pran life. It is a distinct from of consciousness. Jiva is something living, having a physical structure  and, which by itself only, with application of one’s own mind, can move here and there one which can feel cold, warm and such other feelings.

The jiva is that which grows, decays, fluctuates, varies, eats, sleeps, awakes, acts, fears, rests, has knowledge and perception, attempts to self defend, and reproduces. These and more qualities of the jiva are obvious through a physical body when the soul is present in it but when the soul leaves these qualities cease. These qualities are external features and consciousness (chetan) is the basic inner feature of the soul. This also makes it clear for us that the body and the soul are separate entities.

Since the soul has a flexible size, pervades the entire body that it occupies. For example, the same soul can occupy the body of an ant or an elephant. Such bodies stay alive as long as there is a soul within. A live body, or rather, a body with a soul is described  here as a Jiva.

Jivas are categorized in two groups.

According to Jainism, Karma (Sanskrit: कर्म, kär’mə, kär’mən, Prakrit: कम्म, kä’mmə) means that every action, every word, every thought produces, besides its visible, an invisible, transcendental effect. The word karma is commonly understood to mean “action,” but implies both action and reaction.

Karma in Jainism conveys a totally different meaning as commonly understood in the Hindu philosophy and western civilization.In Jainism, karma is referred to as karmic dirt, as it consists of very subtle and microscopic particles i.e. pudgala that pervade the entire universe. Karmas are attracted to the karmic field of a soul on account of vibrations created by activities of mind, speech, and body as well as on account of various mental dispositions. Hence the karmas are the subtle matter surrounding the consciousness of a soul. When these two components, i.e. consciousness and karma, interact, we experience the life we know at present.

Herman Kuhn quoting from Tattvarthasutra describes karmas as –

a mechanism that makes us thoroughly experience the themes of our life until we gained optimal          knowledge from them and until our emotional attachment to these themes falls off.

GATI (Jati) means transmigration of bondaged worldly being from one birth to another. Till the time a soul doesn’t achieve complete liberation (moksha) , the soul goes through perpetual cycle of births and deaths in different bodies. It wanders amongst four particular life conditions, state of existence (Gati) or the class of being (Jati) based on Karma (good or bad) associated with it. Not only the type of Jati but also the life-span in each body acquired is also determined by these Karmas only. The four conditions (Gati) broadly grouped are as follows :
1) Devagati : (Angels) celestial beings in Heaven live with a lifespan of Min. 10,000 years – max. 33 Sagaropama in continuous pleasurable conditions with subtle (Astral) bodies, known as Deva [Angels]. More the merit the soul will reach higher stage, will live for longer duration and will enjoy more pleasurable condition. There are different types of heavenly abodes in ascending stages.
2) Narakigati : (Infernal beings) in hell, where there is continuous pain, tortures, sufferings without any break having subtle material body. More the sinner, cruel deeds, the soul may even go to seventh hell with longest lifespan of extreme suffering and pain.
3) Tiryancagati: (Subhumans) where they live as animals etc, birds, fishes, insects, worms, trees, vegetable plants, water, earth, air and fire beings in different types of bodies having one sense to five senses.
4) Manusyagati : (Human condition-several types-Jati) nationalities, pious, cruel, blind, cripple, handsome, wealthy or poor according to merit or woe.
The soul travels to any one of the four states of existence after the death depending on its karmas.