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  • विशेष आलेख
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42. Characteristics of the Living Being

February 28, 2023BooksHarsh Jain

The Distinctive Characteristics of the Living Being (Sva-tattva/Self-based that-ness)


There are five distinctive volitions or dispositions of the living beings (which are not found in any other reality).

They are called self-based characteristics (Svatattva). They are :

  • (1)Subsidential volition (Aupaṡamika).
  • (2)Purified Voliton related with karmic destmction (Kṣāyika).
  • (3)Destruction-cum-subsidential or mixed volition (Kṣāyopaṡamika or Miṡra)
  • (4)Fmitional volition (Audayīka) 

Inherent volition (Pariṇamika) 


(1)Subsidential Volition (Aupaṡamika): The volitions of the living being arising out of the subsidence of karmas are called subsidential volitions.

They have two varieties :

  • (a) Subsidential righteousness, and
  • (b) Subsidential conduct.

(a)Subsidential Righteousness : With respect to the beginninglessly wrong-faithed living being, subsidential righteousness is developed due to the subsidence of five karmic species of

  • (1) wrongness 
  • (2-5) four infinite-bonding passions of anger, pride, deceit and greed.

With respect to beginningful wrong-faithed living being, this kind of righteousness is developed due to the subsidence of seven karmic species of

  • (1) wrongness,
  • (2) right-cum- wrongness,
  • (3) righteousness 
  • (4-7) four infinite-bonding passions of anger, pride, deceit and greed.

(b)Subsidential Conduct: The subsidential conduct is developed due to the subsidence of 21 species of conduct-deluding karma (9 quasi-passions and three tetrad of passions excluding the tetrad of infinite-bonding passions). It occurs in the eleventh spiritual stage.


(2)Purified (Destructional) Volition (Kṣāyika)


The Purified (destructional) volitions are defined as those pure dispositions which arise out of the total destruction of all karmas.

There are nine kinds of such volitions :

  • (1-5) Destructional knowledge, Conation, Donation, Righteousness and Conduct.
  • (6)Destructional gains,
  • (7)Single-enjoyment,
  • (8)Multiple-enjoyment
  • (9)Potency,

The above types of knowledge and conation develop due to the destruction of knowledge- obscuring and conation-obscuring karmas.

The five volitions from gains to potency are developed due to the destruction of the five varieties of the obstructive karma. The righteousness and conduct develop due to the destruction of faith-deluding and conduct-deluding karmas.


(3)Destruction-cum-subsidential Volition (Kṣāyopaṡamika or Miṡra)


Thedestruction-cum-subsidential volitions are those volitions which arise or develop due to

  • (i)Non-fruitional destruction (Udayābhāvī kṣaya) of all-destroying supervariforms (Spardhakas)
  • (ii)Existential Subsidence (Sadavasthārūpa Upaṡama) of other all-destroying supervariforms of karmas. 
  • (iii)Fruition of partially-destroying supervariforms of karmas.

There are eighteen kinds of these mixed volitions :

(1-4) Four right knowledges : Sensory, Vocable, Clairvoyance and Mind-reading.

(5-7) Three wrong knowledges : Sensory ne-science, Vocable ne-science and Clairvoyance ne-science.

(8-10) Three conations : Ocular, non-ocular and clairvoyant conations.

(11-15) Five super-attainments (Labdhis): destmction-cum-subsidential donations, gains, single-enjoyment, multiple enjoyment and potency.

(16-18) Righteousness: Conduct and restraint-cum-non-restraint.

Out of these, the first seven arise due to the destruction-cum-subsidence of knowledge- obscuring karma. The following three conations arise due to the destmction-cum-subsidence of conation-obscuring karmas.

The succeeding five ones arise due to the destmction-cum-subsidence of obstmcting karma. The last three kinds arise due to the destmction-cum-subsidence of faith- deluding and conduct-deluding (of partial and total renunciation-obscuring passions) karmas respectively.


(4) Fruitional Volitions (Audayika) 


These are the volitions which arise due to the fmition of karmas. There are twenty one kinds of these volitions :

(1 -4) Four destinities : human, subhuman, infernal and celestial.

(5-8) Four passions : anger, pride, deceit and greed.

(9-11) Three libidos : Masculine, feminine and neuter.

(12-17) Six Aureoles : Black, blue, grey, yellow, red and white.

(18-21) Wrongness : Ne-science, non-restraint and non-liberation.

Out of these volitions, some arise due to the fmition of physique-making karma,

  • (1-4) some arise due to the fmition of deluding karma,
  • (5-11) some arise due to the fmition of knowledge-obscuring karma and some arise due to the fmition of karmas in general.

(5) Inherent Volitions (Pāriṇāmika) 


The volitions of the living beings which are natural and independent of karmas are called inherent volitions. There are three kinds of inherent volitions:

  • (1)Tivingness or Consciousness (Jīvatva).
  • (2)Tiberatability (Bhavyatva)
  • (3)Non-liberatability (A-bhavyatva)

The livingness is the conscious nature of the living being. The capacity for liberation is called liberatability.

The non-capacity for liberation is called non-liberatability.

Definition of the Living Being (Jīva : Soul)

The living being is characterised by the consciousness (Upayoga). It means the living being having the above five types of volitions is characterised by Upayoga. There are twelve kinds of consciousness :

(1) 5 Right Knowledges : Sensory,Vocable,Clairvoyance, Mind-reading & Omniscience.

(2) 3 Ne-Sciences : Wrong sensory, Vocable and Clairvoyant Knowledges.

(3) 4 Conations : Ocular, Non-ocular, Clairvoyance and Absolute conation.

Tags: Jain Bharati
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