Jeevvichar Navtattva - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Jeevvichar Navtattva" by Hiralal Duggad Jain, based on the provided pages:

Overall Purpose:

The book "Jeevvichar Navtattva" (Life Principles and Nine Principles) is a compilation and explanation of Jain philosophical concepts, primarily focusing on the nature of souls (Jiva) and the nine fundamental categories of existence (Navatattva). It aims to provide knowledge to those who are unaware of these principles, drawing upon the teachings of ancient Jain scholars.

Key Sections and Content:

The text is divided into two main parts:

Part 1: Jeevvichar (Life Principles/Nature of the Soul)

Introduction: The text begins with a salutation to Lord Mahavir Swami and states its purpose: to explain the nature of the soul as taught by ancient Acharyas for the benefit of the ignorant.
Classification of Souls: Souls are broadly categorized into two types: those that have attained liberation (Moksha) and those that are still in the cycle of rebirth (Samsara).
Types of Souls in Samsara: Souls in Samsara are further classified as:
- Trasa (Movable): Souls with two or more senses.
- Sthavara (Stationary): Souls with only one sense.
Categorization of Sthavara Souls (Ekendriya): The text elaborates on the five types of one-sensed beings:
- Prithvi-kaya (Earth Element Souls): Includes various minerals, gems, metals, salts, clays, and stones.
- Ap-kaya (Water Element Souls): Includes various types of water, dew, ice, hail, and mist.
- Teju-kaya (Fire Element Souls): Includes sparks, embers, lightning, meteors, and other fiery particles.
- Vayu-kaya (Air Element Souls): Includes different types of moving air currents, winds, and gusts.
- Vanaspti-kaya (Vegetable/Plant Souls): This is a significant section, further divided into:
  - Sadharan Vanaspati-kaya: Souls with one body containing infinite individual souls (e.g., certain root vegetables).
  - Pratyek Vanaspati-kaya: Souls with one body containing one individual soul (e.g., fruits, flowers, leaves, seeds). The text lists various examples like roots, sprouts, leaves, fungi, and medicinal plants.
Characteristics of Sadharan and Pratyek Vanaspati-kaya: Distinguishing features like hidden veins, uniform breaking, and regeneration after cutting are described for Sadharan, while the opposite applies to Pratyek.
Classification of Trasa Souls (Bi- to Panch-endriya):
- Dvi-indriya (Two-sensed beings): Examples include shells, worms, leeches, and snails.
- Tri-indriya (Three-sensed beings): Examples include ants, lice, scorpions, and certain insects.
- Chatur-indriya (Four-sensed beings): Examples include scorpions, beetles, bees, flies, and mosquitoes.
- Panchi-indriya (Five-sensed beings): These are further divided into:
  - Naraka (Hellish beings): Seven types based on the hellish realms.
  - Tiryancha (Animals/Sub-human beings): Classified as aquatic, terrestrial, and aerial.
    - Aquatic: Fish, turtles, crocodiles.
    - Terrestrial: Four-legged animals, reptiles that crawl on their chest, and reptiles that crawl with limbs (e.g., cows, snakes, mongooses).
    - Aerial: Birds with feathered wings (made of hair or skin).
  - Manushya (Humans): Found in Karmabhumi, Akarmabhumi, and Antardweepa.
  - Deva (Celestial beings): Ten types of Bhavana-pati, eight types of Vana-vyantara, five types of Jyotisha, and two types of Vaimana.
Siddha (Liberated Souls): Mentioned as having fifteen types of classifications, but the details are brief in this section, primarily noting their absence of body, karma, senses, etc.
Life Span and Body Dimensions: The text provides details on the life spans and body sizes of various types of beings, from one-sensed beings to celestial beings. It mentions the extensive lifespans of some elemental beings and the shorter lifespans of many Trasa beings.
Origin of Souls: Souls are described as originating in two ways: Sammuchchhima (spontaneously generated) and Garbhaja (conceived).
Pranas (Vitalities): The text discusses the ten vitalities that constitute a soul's life, including senses, mind, speech, body, breath, age, intention, and energy. It specifies how many of these vitalities are present in different categories of souls (Ekendriya, Viklendriya, Panch-indriya).
Moksha (Liberation): The concept of death is linked to the separation of these vitalities.
Yonis (Life-forms/Species): The text states there are 8.4 million species of life, with specific numbers attributed to each elemental category and different types of Trasa beings.
The Goal of Life: The text emphasizes the difficulty of attaining human birth and right faith (Samyaktva) and urges readers to strive for Dharma.

Part 2: Navatattva (The Nine Principles)

This section systematically explains the nine fundamental principles of Jainism:

Jiva (Soul): Discussed in the first part, with its classifications based on senses, mind, speech, body, consciousness, etc.
Ajiva (Non-soul): Includes Dharmastikaya (medium of motion), Adharmastikaya (medium of rest), Akashastikaya (space), Pudgala (matter), and Kala (time). The nature and characteristics of each are briefly explained, with Pudgala being described by its qualities like sound, color, smell, taste, and touch.
Punya (Merit): Described as being caused by virtuous actions and having 42 sub-types. The text lists specific merits like knowledge, faith, good conduct, austerities, and positive qualities as contributing to Punya.
Papa (Demerit): Described as being caused by sinful actions and having 82 sub-types. Examples include the absence of senses, wrong faith, impure conduct, ignorance, and negative qualities.
Ashrava (Inflow of Karmas): Explained as the inflow of karmic particles due to the soul's passions and activities. It has 42 sub-types, related to senses, passions, vows, and activities.
Samvara (Stoppage of Karmas): The process of preventing the inflow of karmas through restraint and vows. It has 57 sub-types, including the five Samitis (conducts), three Guptis (restraints), 22 Parishahs (hardships voluntarily endured), Yati-dharma (conduct of ascetics), Bhavanas (meditations), and types of Charitra (conduct).
Nirjara (Shedding of Karmas): The process of shedding accumulated karmas through austerities. It has 12 sub-types, divided into external austerities (Anashana, Unodari, etc.) and internal austerities (Prayashchitta, Vinaya, etc.).
Bandha (Bondage): The process of karmic particles adhering to the soul. It is explained through four types: Prakriti Bandha (type of karma), Sthiti Bandha (duration), Anu-bhaga Bandha (intensity), and Pradesha Bandha (quantity). The text provides detailed lifespans for different karmas.
Moksha (Liberation): The ultimate state of freedom from all karmas. It is described as a state of pure consciousness, knowledge, and bliss, devoid of body and passions. The text mentions 15 types of Siddhas and their origins.

Key Themes and Concepts:

The Centrality of the Soul (Jiva): The entire text revolves around understanding the soul's nature, its journey through Samsara, and its potential for liberation.
Karma Theory: The principles of Ashrava, Samvara, Nirjara, and Bandha are explained to illustrate how actions lead to karmic consequences and how these can be managed for spiritual progress.
Ahimsa (Non-violence): Implicitly understood throughout the classification of beings, particularly the emphasis on respecting all forms of life, even one-sensed beings.
Importance of Right Faith (Samyaktva): The text highlights that understanding these principles leads to Samyaktva, which is crucial for spiritual advancement.
The Value of Human Birth: The rarity and significance of human birth, which offers the best opportunity for spiritual practice, are emphasized.
The Path to Liberation: The text outlines the steps and principles involved in achieving Moksha, through virtuous conduct, austerities, and the shedding of karma.
The Nature of Reality: The Navatattva framework provides a comprehensive view of existence as understood in Jainism.

Publisher and Author Context:

Publisher: Shri Ashapuran Parshwanath Jain Gyanbhandar, Ahmedabad. This indicates the book is published by a Jain institution dedicated to spreading spiritual knowledge.
Author: Hiralal Duggad Jain is the translator/compiler, and the original texts for Jeevvichar and Navtattva are attributed to Vadivetala Shri Shantisuri ji and Chirantanacharya (Purvacharya) respectively, suggesting it's a compilation of classical Jain works.
Context: The publication is dedicated to the diksha anniversary of Param Pujya Acharya Bhagwant Shri Hemchandrasurishwarji Maharaj, highlighting its devotional and commemorative aspect.

In essence, "Jeevvichar Navtattva" is a foundational Jain text that systematically explains the classification of souls, the principles of karma, and the nine fundamental categories of existence, providing a roadmap for spiritual understanding and liberation.