Jain Life Science Jiva Vichara - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Jiva Vichar" by Kusumben Babulal Shah, based on the provided pages:

Book Overview:

"Jiva Vichar" (Classification of Living Beings) is a Jain text that aims to explain the nature, structure, and behavior of all living beings in the universe. Published by Kusumben Babulal Shah, it's presented as a translation from Prakrit and Gujarati into English for a broader audience, intended to promote the Jain principle of non-violence. The translator, Smeet, highlights the guidance received from esteemed Jain Acharyas in this endeavor. The core message is that by understanding the interconnectedness of all life and the cycle of reincarnation, one can be motivated to avoid harming any creature, thus achieving happiness.

Key Concepts and Classifications:

The book systematically classifies living beings according to Jain philosophy:

1. Classification of Souls:

Mukta (Liberated Souls): Souls that have achieved liberation from the cycle of birth and death and are free from all karmic bondages.
Sansari (Non-liberated/Transient Souls): Souls still bound by karma and undergoing the cycle of birth and death.

2. Sub-classification of Sansari Souls:

Trasa (Mobile): Living beings capable of self-movement.
Sthavara (Immobile): Living beings incapable of self-movement, also known as Ekindriya (one-sensed beings).

3. The Five Types of Sthavara (Ekindriya) Jivas:

These are beings with only the sense of touch:

Pruthvikaya (Earth Bodies): Living beings whose bodies are composed of earth, soil, minerals, and metals. Examples include quartz, pearl, gems, metals, stones, rocks, and salt. (Pages 7)
Apkaya (Water Bodies): Living beings whose bodies are composed of water in various forms. Examples include well water, rainwater, dew, ice, fog, mist, and water found in the thick layers below the earth. (Page 8)
Teukaya / Agnikaya (Fire Bodies): Living beings whose bodies are composed of fire or heat. Examples include burning coal, flames, sparks, meteors, comets, and lightning. (Page 9)
Vaukaya (Air Bodies): Living beings whose bodies are composed of air or gas. Examples include air within and beyond the atmosphere, cyclones, windstorms, tornadoes, and the air we inhale and exhale. (Page 10)
Vanaspatikaya (Vegetal Bodies): Living beings whose bodies are plants or flora. These are further divided into:
- Sadharana Vanaspatikaya (Communal Vegetal Bodies): Where infinite souls inhabit a single body. Examples include roots of certain plants (potatoes, onions), tender shoots, fungi, moss, mushrooms, and even carrots and spinach. They have characteristics like concealed fibers, ability to grow after segmentation, and segmentation into equal parts. (Pages 11-13)
- Pratyeka Vanaspatikaya (Individual Vegetal Bodies): Where only one soul resides in one body. Examples include fruits, flowers, rinds, trunks, roots, leaves, and seeds. Each part represents an individual soul. (Pages 13-14)

4. Classification of Jivas based on Senses (beyond Ekindriya):

Beindriya (Two-Sensed Jivas): Possess the senses of touch and taste. Examples include conch shells, oysters, worms, leeches, and snails. (Page 15)
Teindriya (Three-Sensed Jivas): Possess the senses of touch, taste, and smell. Examples include centipedes, bedbugs, lice, ants, termites, and maggots. (Pages 16-17)
Chaurendriya (Four-Sensed Jivas): Possess the senses of touch, taste, smell, and sight. Examples include scorpions, wasps, bees, grasshoppers, flies, mosquitoes, and spiders. (Page 18)
Panchindriya (Five-Sensed Jivas): Possess all five senses: touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing. These are further classified into four categories:
- Naraka (Infernal Beings): Souls residing in hellish realms. (Page 18)
- Tiryancha (Sub-human Beings): All animals and birds, including terrestrial, aerial, and aquatic. (Page 18)
  - Jalchara (Aquatic): Creatures dwelling in water (fish, crocodiles). (Page 19)
  - Sthalchara (Terrestrial): Creatures dwelling on land (cows, elephants, snakes, mongooses). (Page 19-20)
  - Khechara (Aerial): Creatures capable of flying (parrots, pigeons, bats). (Page 19-20)
- Manushya (Human Beings): Classified by dwelling places into Akarmabhumi, Karmabhumi, and Antardweep. (Page 21)
- Deva (Celestial Beings): Souls residing in heavenly abodes. They are categorized into Bhavanpati, Vyantar, Jyotish, and Vaimaanik. (Page 22)

5. Siddha (Liberated Souls):

These are souls that have attained moksha and are free from the cycle of birth and death. They are described as having no body, lifespan, karma, prana, or birth nuclei, existing in an eternal state. (Page 22, 29)

Further Details on Characteristics:

The text also delves into specific characteristics of these Jivas:

Height: Details are provided for the maximum height of various Jiva categories, from Ekindriya to Deva. (Pages 23-25)
Lifespan: The maximum lifespan of different Jiva categories is outlined, ranging from three days for Teukaya to thirty-three sagaropam for Deva and Naraka. (Pages 25-26)
Reincarnations: Ekindriya can have consecutive births and deaths in the same form for countless cycles, while anantakaya have infinite such cycles. Vikalendriya have countable years, and Panchindriya Tiryancha and humans have limited rebirths in the same form. Naraka and Deva cannot have consecutive births and deaths in the same form. (Page 27)
Prana (Vitality): Jivas possess varying numbers of prana (senses, respiration, lifespan, mind, speech, body). Ekindriya have four, Vikalendriya have six, seven, or eight, and Sangni Panchindriya have ten prana. (Page 28)
Yonis (Birth Nuclei): The text specifies the number of birth nuclei for different categories of Jivas, contributing to the total of 84 lac yonis. (Pages 29-30)

Concluding Message:

The book concludes by emphasizing the preciousness of human life and the right faith, urging readers to strive diligently in practicing the Jain Dharma as taught by the Acharyas. It positions "Jiva Vichar" as a concise extraction from vast Jain scriptures for those seeking fundamental knowledge about living beings. The ultimate aim is to encourage compassion and the avoidance of harm, leading to spiritual liberation.