Atmattva Ek Vivechan - Book Summary

Here is a comprehensive summary in English of the provided Jain text, "Atmattva Ek Vivechan" by Hukumchand P. Sangave:

This book, "Atmattva Ek Vivechan" (An Exposition on the Soul), by Dr. Hukumchand Sangave, serves as a detailed exploration of the concept of the soul (Atman or Jiva) from various perspectives within Indian philosophy, with a particular focus on Jainism. The author emphasizes that the entire edifice of Indian philosophy is built around the concept of the soul, whether one is an "Atmavadi" (believer in the soul) or an "Anatmavadi" (non-believer in the soul).

Key Themes and Concepts Discussed:

The Nature of Reality: Indian thinkers broadly divide reality into conscious (Chetan) and unconscious (Achetan) substances. Conscious substances possess qualities like knowledge, perception, happiness, memory, and energy, while unconscious substances have qualities like touch, taste, smell, color, and attributes.
Early Inquiries into the Soul: Even during the Vedic period, there was a deep curiosity about the soul, with questions like "Who am I?" and inquiries into the fundamental nature of the universe ("Is it existent or non-existent?"). The Upanishadic period saw more significant contemplation on the soul's form compared to the Brahmanical era.
Jain Perspective on the Soul: The text highlights Acharya Kundakunda as a prominent figure in Jain literature for his extensive discourse on the soul. Jain philosophy accepts the Upanishadic description of the soul's nature to some extent but differs significantly on the experience of happiness and suffering. While Upanishads consider these states as illusory (mithya), Jainism views them as distortions of the soul's inherent bliss due to karmic associations. Unlike some Upanishadic schools that see the soul as a part of Brahman, Jainism asserts the soul's independent existence.
The Soul's Attributes and Immortality: The soul is described as eternal and distinct from all worldly substances. It is immutable, neither born nor destroyed, not a product of anything, and not arising from non-existence. The soul is deathless, everlasting, and ancient. It is beyond the physical body, is unperceivable by senses (soundless, touchless, formless, tasteless, odorless), eternal, and unchanging. The soul possesses the power of agency and experience.
The Existence of the Soul: The author emphasizes that the development of Indian philosophy is centered on the soul. Both materialistic (like Charvaka) and spiritual philosophies have established the soul's existence, albeit with differing views on its nature. The soul's existence is confirmed through self-awareness (swasamvedana). All sentient beings experience themselves as happy, sad, poor, etc., and this experience is attributed to the conscious soul.
Epistemology of the Soul: The text addresses the inherent difficulty in proving the soul's existence through direct perception (pratyaksha) or inference (anumana). The soul is formless and intangible, unlike visible objects like pots and cloths. Inference relies on a perceptible connection (like smoke and fire), which is absent for the soul. Charvakas deny an independent soul, seeing consciousness as a product of material elements. Upanishadic thought, however, posits the soul as the doer and experiencer.
Challenging Materialistic Views: The text refutes the idea that the body is the soul. If the body were the soul, loved ones would not mourn its passing as if something valuable were lost. The soul is distinct from sensory experiences and the body, which are the sources of pleasure and pain. The very act of questioning the soul's existence ("Is there a soul or not?") is a manifestation of consciousness, which is a characteristic of the soul, not the body. The experience of "I" (aham) is cited as direct proof of the soul.
The Soul as a Substance with Attributes: The text delves into the debate of whether attributes (guna) are distinct from or identical with the possessor of attributes (guni). Different schools (Nyaya-Vaisheshika, Sankhya, Jainism) hold varying views. The Jain position, along with the Mimamsa, is that there is a "qualified difference" (kathanchit bheda) and "qualified identity" (kathanchit abheda) between the soul and its attributes. If the attribute is perceived, the possessor must also be perceived.
The Nature of the Soul's Attributes: The soul is described as possessing knowledge (jnana), perception (darshana), happiness (sukha), energy (virya), consciousness (chetanatva), and being formless (amurtatva) according to Acharya Devsen. Acharya Nemichandra describes the soul as characterized by "upayoga" (activity or engagement), being incorporeal, the doer, having the dimension of its own body, the experiencer, moving upwards, and being both in the cycle of existence (sansari) and liberated (siddha). Upayoga is identified as a universal characteristic of all souls, and knowledge itself is considered the essence of the soul, as stated in "Samaysar."
Innate vs. Acquired Qualities: Qualities are categorized as inherent (swabhavik) and acquired/modified (vaivahik). The soul's inherent quality is knowledge, which is not destroyed even if obscured by karmic matter.
The Charvaka and Upanishadic Debate on the Soul: The text recounts the story from the Chandogya Upanishad where Indra and Virochana seek knowledge about the soul. Virochana accepts the reflection in the water as the soul, while Indra remains questioning. This leads to further contemplation, identifying the mind (manas) or life-breath (prana) as the soul. However, deeper reflection reveals that these are material and perishable, leading to the understanding that the soul is non-material and eternal.
The Soul's Properties in Jainism: The soul is devoid of form, taste, touch, and smell. It is without attachment, aversion, or delusion. It does not possess colors, karmic particles, or afflictions. The soul is pure, wise, and imbued with knowledge.
The Soul's Locality and Size (Parimana): Jainism posits the existence of six substances (dravyas), five of which are "astikayas" (having many parts/regions) and one, time (kala), is "anastikaya" (having no parts). Astikayas are defined as aggregates of regions (pradeshas). A region is defined as the space occupied by an indivisible atom of matter.
- Soul's Regions: Souls, Dharma, Adharma, and Akasha are described as having innumerable regions (asankhyata pradeshi). The soul's regions can expand or contract to fit the dimensions of the body it inhabits. The soul's natural state is described as "body-sized" (deha-parimana).
- Comparison with Other Schools: The text contrasts the Jain view with other schools:
  - Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Sankhya-Yoga, and Mimamsa consider the soul to be all-pervading (vyapak).
  - Ramanujacharya believes the universal soul (Brahmatma) is all-pervading, while individual souls (Jivatma) are "anuparimana" (atomic).
  - Charvakas consider consciousness (soul) to be body-sized.
  - Upanishads offer varied views: some say the soul is body-sized, others thumb-sized (angushtha parimana), and still others atomic (anumatra).
- Jain Nuance: Jainism states that the embodied soul is body-sized. However, in the state of omniscience (kevaljnana), it is considered all-pervading, or in the state of "samudghata," its regions expand.
The Soul's Multifariousness: The text addresses the concept of multiple souls. Jainism, Buddhism, Nyaya, and Purva Mimamsa accept an infinite number of souls, each with its own agency and karmic experiences. Vedanta, particularly Advaita Vedanta, posits a single, unified soul.
Classifications of Souls:
- From a Fundamental Perspective (Nishchaya): The soul is one.
- From a Practical Perspective (Vyavahara): The "Sthananga Sutra" enumerates eight types of souls: substance soul, anger-soul, activity-soul, engagement-soul, knowledge-soul, perception-soul, conduct-soul, and energy-soul.
- In "Yogasara": Souls are classified into three types: outward-soul (bahiratma), inward-soul (antarātma), and supreme soul (paramatma).
  - Bahiratma: Possesses wrong views and is difficult to liberate.
  - Antaratma: Further divided into excellent, medium, and inferior based on the intensity of attachment and aversion.
  - Paramatma: Divided into Sakal Paramatma (Arhats) and Nikal Paramatma (Siddhas).
- Capacity for Liberation: Souls that have the potential to manifest as Antaratma and Paramatma are called "bhavya" (capable), while those without this potential are "abhvaya" (incapable).
- General Classification: All souls are bound by karma from beginningless time and thus wander in the cycle of birth and death.
- Common Jain Classifications:
  - General: Siddha (liberated) and Sansari (embodied).
  - Sansari Souls: Tras (mobile, two-sensed and above) and Sthavar (immobile, one-sensed).
  - Tras Souls: Labdhi-tras and Gati-tras.
  - Sthavar Souls: Earth-bodied, water-bodied, fire-bodied, air-bodied, and plant-bodied.
  - Further Classifications: Based on motion, senses, vitalities, cognitions, etc., there are numerous classifications, including up to 563 types of souls mentioned in the scriptures.

In essence, "Atmattva Ek Vivechan" provides a scholarly and comprehensive overview of the soul's nature, existence, and classification, drawing heavily from Jain scriptures and contrasting them with other Indian philosophical traditions. The book aims to clarify the multifaceted understanding of the soul, its journey through the cycle of existence, and its ultimate liberation.