About Nigod Jiva

The term Nigod is generally spoken in Jain Lectures by speakers while describing the transmigration suffered by Jiva. However many listeners who are not familiar with Jain siddhanta scriptures fail to understand it simply because this term is unique in Jainism and not found elsewhere. Further there is no English equivalent of the term Nigod although it is a common noun. It would come as a surprise to many people to know that each of us gone through the Nigod stage in our life cycle, and still we are not even familiar with the term !  Because this is the only life form in which one could stay for an infinite period of time , all other life forms have only innumerable periods. This article attempts to present in simple language the mystery of Nigod Jiva form. Since many terms do not have equivalent, it is better to accept them in Hindi form itself.

The term Nigod implies a common body shared by infinite Jivas. Normally we are used to having one Jiva as the owner of own body which is represented by the term Pratyek ( Single). All human, heaven or hell borne Jivas are of this kind. Even in Tiryanch(animal) form all two sensed and above Jivas belong to the Pratyek category. In one sensed Tiryanch Jiva form which is also known as Sthavar ( stationary) form there are five types of Jiva forms known as earth, fire, water, air and vegetation Jivas. The term earth implies Jiva having earth as the body which are quite microscopic. Similarly the terms fire , water and air imply jiva forms having their bodies of the type of fire, water and air. All these forms are very very small and not visible but they have been seen by omniscient and described in scriptures. All of these Jivas are pratyek category i.e. each jiva is owner of their own body. However in the last category vegetation, the difference crops up. They can be divided into two categories i.e. Pratyek and Sadharan ( Common). The pratyek vegetable is occupied by a one sensed Jiva who is owner of that body , a typical example being gourds. However the sadharan vegetable is occupied by infinite Jiva sharing the same body! A typical example is grass. Actually those bodies which are used for sharing infinite number of Jivas are known as Nigod. Therefore the term  Nigod really stand for the common body. In the whole universe these bodies are innumerable only. However each of the Nigod body supports infinite number of Jiva sharing the same body and they are also called by the term Nigod Jiva. Just imagine infinite Jiva sharing the same body who share the same food, breath, birth and death ! Although each of these Jivas have their separate karmas which have brought them together but they share the same fate from birth to death i.e. they are born together and die together at the same time. After death they may disperse into separate life forms depending upon their karmas.

We know that there are infinite Jivas in this universe which are never ending infinite. However all other life forms from one sensed to five sensed devas have only innumerable Jivas , so where are all the infinite Jivas ? They are all residing in this Nigod form in Nigod bodies. This is the only life form where in infinite Jivas are resident. Now if we see the transmigration period of Jivas , interesting detail emerge. The Jivas are divided into two categories Sthavar ( stationary)  and Trasa ( two sensed and above). As mentioned earlier the sthavar form includes all one sensed Jiva including Nigod Jivas. The trasa jiva form includes all tiryanch from two sensed to five sensed, human , hell and heaven forms i.e. all possible life forms which are visibly seen and known. The scripture states that the maximum period  a Jiva may stay in Trasa form changing from one form to another is little above 2000 sagars, which is a huge period but nevertheless finite. After this the Jiva necessarily would change to sthavar form i.e. a one sensed form. Even in this form the period in which he could stay in pratyek body forms is innumerable years but not infinite. So necessarily he would have to enter Nigod form because this is the only form in which a Jiva can stay for an infinite period of time ! Since each of us have been in this universe from beginning and have spent infinite years of our life, it proves that all of us have spent most of that period in Nigod form only! This sobering thought is should teach us the pricelessness of the human form in which we are born,  wherein the period is like that of lightening in the dark  which we have to  utilize  to cross over to Moksha. In fact we never know if this current birth may be the last birth in Trasa form before changing over to sthavar form or Nigod from , and who knows when we would get an opportunity to return back  to the human form!

If the description above is not sufficient to wake us up, here is some more ! In Nigod there are two forms. One is called Nitya ( Ever) and other is called Itar Nigod. The resident of Nitya Nigod are those who have never ever come out of Nigod life form because they are permanently stationed there. They have never ever changed to other life forms from the beginningless time. In a period equal to six months and 8 samay , 608 Jivas come out of Nitya Nigod form who change over to other life forms. In the same period of six months and 8 samay, 608 jivas attain Moksha. Thus the number of Jivas undergoing transmigration always remains same. Infinite Jivas have attained Moksha so far from beginning but they are insignificant compared to Jivas resident in the universe and still far insignificant compared to those who have not come out of Nigod itself. Itar Nigod is the form which Jiva takes when he returns to Nigod again and again. From Nitya Nigod it is a one way transition while Itar Nigod is two way transition.

The sthavar form of Jiva are divided into two types Badar ( large) and Sookshma(small). They are really not divided based on size because some of the badar jiva are smaller than sookshma Jivas in size. The division is based on the capability of the body to be obstructed by other material objects. The sookshma jivas can transit through any matter and cannot be obstructed. The badar Jivas are obstructed. Accordingly their Naam karmas are different which decides the type of body which they shall inherit. All earth, fire, water and air jivas have both types. In vegetation all pratyek jivas are badar only. However the Nigod Jivas are of both types Badar and Sookshma. The Sookshma Nigod Jiva are occupying the entire universe all over since they do not need any supporting body. The badar Nigod Jiva are residing in Nigod bodies which themselves are supported by vegetation. Hence they have limited places in the universe. The pratyek vegetable also have two types. One is called Pratishthit vegetable and other is called Apratishthit vegetable. The first one supports nigod jiva  e.g. potato and second does not support nigod jiva e.g. gourds. This explains the reason why the root vegetables are never eaten by Jains because they support infinite Jivas. The vegetables which can be eaten are the apratishthit types which do not support Nigod jivas. Hence the loss of life is limited. The figure below presents the structure of Jivas based on senses.

All jivas are born with one more possible feature i.e. paryapta and aparyapta which is complete or incomplete. All Jivas after transmigrating take a certain amount of time during which six types of paryapti are completed. These are known as food, body, senses, breathing, speech and mind. These are capabilities of the jiva to convert physical matter into food, body, senses, breath, speech or mind. When these capabilities are completed , the Jiva is able to sustain for its lifespan using functions of taking food, breathing, speaking or using mind. Then only he is called Paryapta Jiva.  These activities of formation take place within first antarmuhurta ( 48 minutes) of birth in specific order but get completed together. During this period, the Jiva is incomplete. If he dies during this period without completion of any of the capabilities then he is called Aparyapta Jiva. Accordingly he was bestowed with aparyapta nam karma at the time of birth. The other jiva with paryapta nam karma complete their formation and continue to live on. A large number of Jiva are born as aparyapta which is known as Labdhi aparyapta Jiva. Obviously their lifespan  is very small. Sometimes as small as 1/18 of the period of one breath. Now all the jivas from human to animals to one sensed jivas do have aparyapta form and can die in labdhi aparyapta form of 1/18 breath period. Scripture has described the possibility of a jiva taking all  possible birth forms one after another in the shortest period. This can be as high as 66336 times in a period of one anratmuhurta( 48 minutes)  which works out to be at the rate of one birth every 1/18 of one breath period. This includes 6012 births of 11 types of one sensed , 80 births of 2 sensed, 60 births of 3 sensed, 40 births of 4 sensed, 24 births of 5 sensed Jivas ( together 66336). The breath cycle is such that it completes 3773 breaths in 48 minutes. Thus it can be worked out that Jiva can continuously keep on taking births at the rate of 1/18 of breath cycle to complete 66336 births in 48 minutes. This includes.6012x2 births of Badar and Sookshma Nigod Jiva.

As mentioned earlier, Sookshma Nigod Jiva does not need any support for birth , which means they are freely born anywhere in the entire universe, as they are not obstructed anywhere. However Badar Nigod Jiva are born with the support of vegetables, hence they are born on earths which support vegetables , but not in space. In the entire universe there are eight earths which support these Nigod Jiva. Further Badar Nigod Jiva are supported on the bodies of other Human or Tiryanch(animal) Jivas. Yes, each of us supports infinite badar Nigod Jiva which keep going through birth and death continuously. However eight types of bodies do not support birth of badar Nigod Jiva. Four of these are earth, fire, water, air Jiva  which are one sensed Jivas. Other four are heaven, hell born jivas( Devas and Naraki), aharak body of Muni and body of omniscient kevali bhagwan  in 13^th Gunasthana. Besides these the Badar Nigod Jiva are found in 1 Raju height x 7 Raju width x 7 Raju depth Lokakash below the 7^th Earth which houses the 7^th hell. ( It will be difficult to explain all the terms used here in this short article. However they are included for completeness of subject matter.)  

What is the life span of Nigod Jiva ?      

Sookshma Nigod  aparyapta Jiva has minimum life span of 1/18 th of breath known as Kshudrabhav kaal and maximum life of antarmuhurta ( less than 48 miniutes). Sookshma Nigod Paryapta Jiva has minimum and maximum life span of antarmuhurta only. However if we take these two types of births together a Jiva may keep changing from paryapta to aparyapta and remain in sookshma form for innumerable loka period , which is measured as number of space elements in the lokakash taken innumerable times.

Badar Nigod  aprayapta jiva life span is similar to sookshma Nigod aparyapta. That of badar paryapta jiva is minimum of antarmuhurta and maximum of few thousand years. A jiva may spend period equal to 70 crore crore sagar before he may come out from badar nigod form since he would keep changing from aparyapta to paryapta form.  Taking sookshma and badar together a jiva may take infinite period equal to two and half pudgal paravartan period. If we take one sensed Jiva alone, he may take infinite pudgal paravartan to come out of one sensed form to enter trasa form i.e. two sensed and above. It clearly tells us how rare it is to become a 5 sensed human being and how small is the life span compared to that spent in other forms.

Note :  To understand these terms better it would be advisable to read the presentation on Pach Paravartan : The transmigration cycle on this website. Article on Jain  Mathematics would give us insight on some of the terms used for describing long period of time.