All Siddhas are equal, and there is no difference in their status. They are formless and shapeless, have perfect knowledge and perception, and have infinite vigor and bliss. They do not live among us, but reside at the uppermost part of this universe called Siddhashila. ![]() ![]() Liberated souls have no karmas and therefore, they are no longer in the cycle of births and deaths. A live body, or rather, a body with a soul is described here as a Jiva. Such bodies stay alive as long as there is a soul. For example, the same soul can occupy the body of an ant or an elephant. Since the soul is flexible, it pervades the entire body it occupies. This also makes it clear for us that the body and the soul are separate entities. These qualities are external features and consciousness (chetan) is the basic inner feature of the soul. ![]() These and many more qualities of the jiva are obvious through a physical body when the soul is present in it but when the soul leaves these qualities cease. The jiva which grows, decays, fluctuates, varies, eats, sleeps, awakes, acts, fears, rests, has knowledge and perception, attempts to self defend, and reproduces. When the spiritual or psychic status is described it is referred to as the soul, and when the physical structure is described, it is called Jiva. In Jainism, Jiva and soul are more or less described synonymously.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |