Atmavad Ke Vividh Pahlu

This document is a detailed exploration of the concept of "Atmavad" (the doctrine of the soul) within Jain philosophy, authored by Mahapragna Acharya. The text delves into various facets of the soul, its relationship with the body, its nature, and its role in the cycle of existence and liberation.

Here's a comprehensive summary of the key points discussed:

1. The Nature of the Soul: Amurta (Immaterial) vs. Murta (Material)

• The Core Question: The primary philosophical debate is about the relationship between the immaterial soul (Atma) and the material body.
• Jain Perspective: Jainism posits that the soul is not entirely immaterial. While its true nature might be immaterial, in its current embodied state, it is kathancheet murta (partially material) due to its bondage with the body.
• Analogy of Space: If the soul were entirely immaterial like space (Akasha), it would be unaffected by external influences like rain, cold, or heat. However, the soul is affected by the body and the environment. This influence suggests a degree of materiality.
• Origin of Bondage: The origin of this union between the soul and the body is unknown, and it's considered an eternal relationship in the cycle of existence.
• Liberation: Upon liberation from the body, the soul is said to become entirely immaterial again and unaffected by the external world. The impurities and limitations experienced by the soul are due to its partial materiality.
• Contrast with Sankhya: Sankhya philosophy, in contrast, considers the soul to be entirely immaterial, hence it is neither bound nor liberated, nor is it considered a doer or experiencer (except in a figurative sense). Jainism, by acknowledging partial materiality, allows for bondage and liberation.

2. The Soul's Dimension: Sharir Pariman (Dimension of the Body)

• Rejection of Universality: Jainism deviates from other schools (like Sankhya and Nyaya) that consider the soul to be all-pervading and infinite.
• Jain Doctrine: The Jain doctrine states that the soul is sharir pariman (of the dimension of the body it inhabits). The size of the soul is determined by the size of the body. A soul in an ant is of an ant's dimension, and a soul in an elephant is of an elephant's dimension.
• The Paradox of Equality: This leads to a seeming contradiction: how can all souls be equal if their dimensions vary?
• Sankoch-Vistarvad (Contraction and Expansion): To resolve this, Jainism introduces the principle of sankoch-vistarvad. The soul possesses the inherent capacity to contract and expand its constituent parts (pradeshas).
• Capacity for Contraction/Expansion: An infinite number of souls can fit into the tip of a needle, and a single soul can expand to fill the entire universe. This capacity is unique to the soul, unlike other substances.
• Basis of Sankoch-Vistar: This contraction and expansion is not based on the gross physical body but on the subtle body (sukshma sharir). When a soul transmigrates to a smaller body, its subtle body first contracts, and then the gross body is formed accordingly.
• Practical Acceptance: This concept of a body-dimensioned soul is presented as a more consistent and practical explanation compared to an infinite, all-pervading soul that still experiences everything through a localized body.

3. Agency and Experience: Kartrutva and Bhoktrutva (Doership and Experiencership)

• Soul as Doer and Experiencer: The capacity for contraction and expansion is attributed to the soul's inherent power of kartrutva (doership). If the soul were not a doer, it wouldn't be able to perform these actions. Therefore, the soul is also a bhokta (experiencer).
• Freedom of Action and Experience: The soul has the freedom to act and to experience the consequences of its actions.
• Jainism vs. Sankhya: Sankhya denies the soul's doership, attributing all actions and bondage to nature (Prakriti). Jainism, however, considers the soul to be intrinsically involved in both action and experience, leading to bondage and liberation.
• Types of Kartrutva/Bhoktrutva:
  • Swabhavik Kartrutva (Natural Doership): This refers to the continuous transformation (parinaman) inherent in every substance, including the soul. The soul is the doer of its own natural modifications. If this natural transformation (which sustains its existence) were to cease, the soul would cease to exist. This is also referred to as "arthaparyaya" or "swabhavik paryaya."
  • Vaivahik Kartrutva (Modal/Acquired Doership): This refers to the soul's actions that lead to its transmigration into different life forms (human, animal, hellish, heavenly). This is a result of the soul's own actions and the karmic web it creates, not external influence.

4. The Doctrine of Karma and Suffering/Happiness

• No External Giver of Happiness or Sorrow: Based on the principle of the soul as the doer and experiencer, the text strongly asserts that no one else can truly give another person happiness or sorrow.
• External Influence: While someone can create an environment or provide means that facilitate happiness or sorrow, they cannot directly bestow the experience of pleasure or pain. They can only be an instrument (nimitta).
• Personal Responsibility: This means that suffering and happiness are entirely self-created. The famous Jain aphorism is quoted: "Appa katta vikatta ya duhana ya suhana ya" (The soul itself is the doer and the transformer of its sorrows and happiness).
• Examples:
  • Sorrow: A person undergoing immense suffering due to a malicious act against them is depicted as experiencing profound joy and liberation due to their own internal state. The external perpetrator's actions, though intended to cause suffering, are irrelevant to the internal experience of the enlightened individual.
  • Happiness: Despite abundant comforts and facilities provided, a person remains unhappy because their inner state is one of grief. This highlights that happiness is not a result of external arrangements but an internal state.

5. The Importance of Self-Focus and Body Control

• Body-Centric vs. Soul-Centric View: The text criticizes the human tendency to focus on the body's comfort and to perceive hardship as "torturing the body." The real suffering, it implies, is inflicted on the soul by its own actions and attachments.
• The Path of Sadhana: The path of spiritual practice (sadhana) requires a shift from a body-centric to a soul-centric (atmabhilakshi) perspective.
• Body Control (Sanyam): This soul-centric view leads to the importance of body control. Practices like specific postures (asanas) might cause physical discomfort, but enduring these is necessary for controlling the restless mind and soul. This endurance is not for the body's sake but for the soul's progress.

6. Monism vs. Pluralism of Souls

• Two Philosophical Streams: The text outlines two major philosophical streams: Ekatmavada (Monism), which posits a single, unified soul, and Anekamavada (Pluralism), which asserts the existence of infinite, independent souls.
• Jainism as Pluralistic: Jainism firmly belongs to the Anekamavada school. It asserts that souls are infinite and each soul is independent. Souls are not parts of God, Brahma, Maya, or illusion.
• Implications of Pluralism:
  • Individual Existence: Each soul is born, dies, and experiences its own happiness and sorrow independently. No one shares its destiny.
  • Potential for Selfishness: This emphasis on individual existence could potentially foster selfishness ("my karma, my experience, my concern"). The argument is that if everything is individual, why should one care about others? The emphasis on "do your own duty, experience your own karma" could lead to a lack of concern for others.
  • Contrast with Mahayana: This is contrasted with Mahayana Buddhism's aspiration for universal liberation, even at the cost of personal immediate salvation.
• The Real Truth: Jainism maintains that the plurality of souls is not an illusion or a mere perspective but a real truth.
• Practical Application:
  • Monism's Impact: Monism (e.g., "all souls are one") theoretically leads to unity and empathy. However, in practice, it has not eradicated violence, crime, or cruelty. Even within a single family, discord can exist.
  • Pluralism's Impact: Similarly, the Jain principle of equality of souls, while philosophically sound, is not always reflected in actual behavior. People often treat others unequally.
• Conclusion on Philosophical Streams: Neither monism nor pluralism has achieved complete success in transforming societal behavior. Monism's practical application is complex, while Jainism's pluralism, though philosophically clear, doesn't automatically translate into consistent equitable behavior.

7. The Ultimate Question: "Who Am I?"

• The Core Inquiry: After exploring these various philosophical concepts, the text concludes by highlighting the fundamental question that arises: "Who am I?"
• Prerequisite for Self-Discovery: Understanding the different facets of the soul and the philosophical debates surrounding it is crucial for truly grasping one's own identity. Without this understanding, the answer to "Who am I?" remains elusive.
• Sadhana's Goal: This question is presented as the most important question in spiritual practice, and its answer can only be found after a deep dive into these philosophical inquiries.

In essence, "Atmavad ke Vividh Pahlu" provides a nuanced Jain perspective on the soul, emphasizing its embodied nature, its capacity for self-transformation through contraction and expansion, its sole responsibility for its own experiences of joy and sorrow, and the profound philosophical debate on the unity versus multiplicity of souls, ultimately pointing towards the personal quest of self-discovery as the culmination of these inquiries.