Whenever we talk of transmigration of soul, a common question
which immediately arises is that how to understand the complex Jain Scripture
where one talks of so many karmas effecting the Jiva in so many different ways.
Fortunately Omniscient in his sermons has provided the wonderful tools for the same. These are the two methods for classifying the jiva in the entire
universe. The first one is called Ogha
(General ) which describes all the Jivas of the universe in a single scale.
This is known as Gunasthana which we have dealt with in a previous article. Simply speaking it categorizes the Jivas into two categories. One, who
will continue to transmigrate endlessly and second, for whom the end of journey
is now visible. After all the entire Jain scripture deals with just one
objective i.e. how to attain Moksha ? Worldly riches or the enjoyments of
heaven are of no interest since one knows that they are transient. Therefore
the first gunasthana which is Mithyatva( wrong belief) ,includes all those
who are yet to climb the ladder or those who have fallen from the ladder. The
Gunasthana 2 to 14 represents the journey of remaining few Jivas in this
universe who will sooner or later attain Moksha.
The second method is called
Adesh ( Detail) which provides the details of Jiva with respect to 14 selected
parameters. Wonderfully just 14
parameters are sufficient to classify all the Jivas of the universe in a unique
manner comprehensively. These are known as Marganas. By definition Margana means a method by which
Jiva are known. These are 14 as described below:
1) Gati ( birth) 2) Indriya ( senses) 3) Kaya ( body) 4) yoga
5) veda( gender) 6) Kashaya (
passions) 7) Jnana ( knowledge) 8) Samyam( self restraint) 9) Darshan ( vision) 10) Leshya ( Aura)11) Bhavya ( Eligible)
12) Samyaktva ( right belief) 13 ) Samgyi ( with mind) 14 ) Aahar ( food)
It is better to learn these
Marganas by their Hindi names itself
since they are used extensively in the Jain Scriptures.
What these Marganas imply is that
a particular Jiva will always these 14
characteristics by which he could be identified. He will always have one of the Gati , have Indriya, kaya, yoga etc
as defined by them in the worldly form.
Further these are also inter related so that all possible corresponding
questions are answered. For example a Jiva in Naraka gati ( hell) may have how
many types of senses or knowledge , gender etc. Hence once one learns these
marganas , he can understand the basic foundation of the Jain scriptures.
1)
Gati ( Birth)
Margana : These represent the types of births a Jiva may take in transmigration.
These are four only (i) Narak gati ( hell)
( ii) Manushya gati ( human) (
iii) Deva gati ( heaven) and (iv) Tiryanch gati ( animal). What it means that a Jiva will always be
found in one of the four gati in the
worldly state. The fifth gati which is not included here is Siddha gati which
is Moksha. However since subject is that of the world , which results because
of fruition of karmas, the fifth state
is not included which is independent of karmas.
2)
Indriya ( senses) Margana : These represent
the number of senses a particular Jiva inherits when he takes birth. They are
from one to five hence the Jiva is correspondingly known as Ekendriya(one
sensed), Dwindriya( two sensed), Trindriya ( three sensed), Chaturindriya( four
sensed) and Panchandriya ( five sensed).
Further the senses increase in a designated order only. The first sense is
always touch, then second sense is taste, third is smell, fourth is vision, and
fifth is hearing. Therefore a four sensed Jiva will never have hearing and a
three sensed Jiva will never have hearing and vision and so on.
3)
Kaya ( Body) Margana : Primarily there
are two types of bodies. One is known as Sthavarkaya ( Stationary) who are not
able to shy away from danger. Second is known as Trasakaya ( fearful ) who are
able to run away from danger. The stahvarlaya
itself is of five kinds known as Prithvikaya ( earth as body) , Jalakaya
( water as body), Agnikaya ( fire as body) , vayukaya ( air as body),
Vanaspatikaya( vegetable as body) which are all one sensed Jivas incapable of
movement. Still correctly speaking , it is due to fruition of Sthavar Naam
Karma which is cause of inheriting such body. Naam Karma is one of the eight
types of karma which decides various features of the Jiva body. The Trasakaya
includes all animals above single sensed, humans, Naraki and Devas.
4)
Yoga margana: Yoga itself is the vibration
activity of the soul space. This activity occurs under the influence of sharir
naam karma which is the karma responsible for having a body of the Jiva.
Further due to desires of activity of mind , speech or body the three types of
yoga activity occurs known as mana, vachan and kaya yoga. Mana yoga itself is
of four types known as Satya ( truth), asatya ( false), Ubhaya ( both),
anubhaya( none of the two) depending upon activities which occur within the
mind to generate truth, untruth, both or none of the two. The Vachan yoga is
also of four types similarly known as Satya, asatya, ubhaya and Anubhaya which
correspond to yoga activities of speech to generate truth, untruth, both or
none of the two. Lastly the Kaya yoga is of seven types : Audarik,
AudarikMishra, Vaikriyik, Vaikriyik Mishra, Aaharak, AaharakMishra and Karmana
Kaya Yoga. Under the influence of Audarik sharir Naamkarma the activities which
occur within the soul space to accept future karmas is called audarik kaya yoga. Such kaya yoga is
present for all Humans and Tiryanchas( animals). For the same types of Jivas
the kaya yoga applicable under incomplete state of the body while taking birth is
Audarik Mishra kaya yoga. Vaikriyik Kaya yoga is applicable for the bodies of
Naraki or devas. Vaikriyik Mishra is the yoga of the same Jivas under
incomplete stage. Aaharak and
AaharakMishra yoga are applicable for Munis who form a secondary body to visit
Omniscient in another place inaccessible to others. Lastly Karmana Kaya yoga is
the yogic activity present when the Jiva
is transmigrating to take up new birth. This stage the Jiva has only Karmic
body and is known as Vigrah Gati where
the Jiva has given up previous body and is moving to take birth in new
incarnation. This step may take maximum of 3 samay period.
5)
Veda (Gender) Margana : Jivas are
identified by three types of gender they can have namely, male, female and
transgender. However the important thing to note is that the dravya veda (
physical gender) need not be same as bhava veda ( mental gender) in the case of
humans and animals. The Narakis are always transgender and Devas have only male
and female. In humans and Tiryanchas all three types are possible. However ,
Tiryanch from 1-4 senses are invariably
transgenders. Veda is decided by the
corresponding naam karma fructified at the time of birth. It may be noted that
bhava veda remains same throughout a typical incarnation. Another important
thing to note is that once karmas pertaining to Vedas are destroyed/subdued,
the Jiva becomes Apagat Vedi, in 9th
Gunasthana. Further Omniscient is also Apagat Vedi ( beyond gender) who has
destroyed all karmas pertaining to gender.
6)
Kashaya ( Passion)Margana : Four primary
passions are known as anger, pride, deceit and greed which occur on account of
fruition of corresponding Mohaniya Karma. These have four levels each known as
Anantanubandhi, Apratyakhyanavaran, Pratyakhyanavaran and Samjwalan in the
decreasing order of intensity. As one climbs the Gunasthana ladder of
spirituality, the stronger passions are subdued and the weaker ones are
fructifying . All Jivas irrespective of
gati keep indulging in passion of one form or other.
7)
Jnana ( Knowledge) Margana : All jivas have knowledge even if he is a Nigod born single sensed Jiva. Only the
quantum varies which can be highest in human birth. Knowledge is obscured by
fruition of Gyanavaraniya karma and due to it being subdued and suppressed the
Jiva gains knowledge at given moment. However in absence of right belief the
knowledge is wrong . The three types of wrong knowledge are called Kumati
Jnana, Ku Sruta Jnana and Ku Avadhi Jnana. The first one is sensory knowledge.
Second is secondary knowledge generated due to senses and mind. Third is
clairvoyance but corrupted due to wrong belief. There are five types of right
knowledge for Jivas having right belief known as Mati Jnana, Sruta Jnana,
Avadhi Jnana, Manah paryaya Jnana and Keval Jnana. The first three are opposite
of the three wrong knowledges. The fourth is telepathic knowledge available
to selected Munis. The last is Keval Jnana or Omniscience which is attained
after destroying all Gyanavarniya Karmas in 13th Gunasthana.
8)
Samyam ( self restraint ) Margana : To be
able to control the desires pertaining to different senses and passions is known as Samyam. They are
invariably accompanied with right knowledge. Those without such restraint are
known as Asamyami . In Samyami there are six types which are known as
Samyamasamyam , Samayik, Chhedopasthapana, Pariharvidhuddhi, Sookshmasamparaya
and Yathakhyata Charitra. Out of these the first one is practiced by animals
and humans in 5th Gunasthana and remaining are practiced in higher
levels humans only. The last Yathakhyata Charita is purest form of conduct
which is experienced from 11th Gunasthana onwards to even the
omniscient where in all the Mohaniya karma has been destroyed.
9)
Darshan ( vision) Margana : All jivas
have vision of some kind even though they may not have eyes. This is known as
Achakchhu Darshan ( vision without eyes) which occurs prior to knowledge
pertaining to corresponding senses. Vision with eyes is known as Chakchhu
Darshan. Besides these two, Avadhi Darshan occurs to those Jivas who have
Avadhi Jnana and Keval Darshan occurs to those with Keval Jnana. Thus there are
four types of visions.
10)
Leshya ( Aura) Margana : Leshya is
defined as the activities of yoga under the influence of passions. Yoga itself
is of the activities of mind, speech or body. Leshya is represented as an aura
of the jiva in Dravya ( physical) or Bhava ( mental ) form and is responsible for the bondage of
different types of karmas to the Jiva. These are six types represented as
colours namely Krishna (black), Neel ( blue), Kapot(grey), Peet(yellow), Padma(
Pink) and Shukla(white). Although in reality there are innumerable combination
of colours , for definition purpose the six forms are described. The
Krishna Leshya is worst and is existent with all Jivas taking birth
in 7th hell all the time. The Shukla Leshya is purest and is applicable to higher order Munis
and Devas. Once the karmas are destroyed the Ayog kevali ( 14th
Gunasthana) and Siddha bhagwan are known as Aleshya i.e without Leshya.
11)
Bhavya ( Eligible) Margana: Just as all
seeds are incapable of germinating, similarly there are certain number of Jivas
who would never attain right belief and therefore can never attain Siddhahood.
This is an inherent property of Jiva independent of karmas and they are known
as Abhavya (Ineligible). The remaining are capable hence are known as Bhavya (
Eligible). However it does not mean that all eligible shall attain Siddhahood since
otherwise the world would not exist. Only a finite number attain Siddhahood in
a finite period and since the number of Bhavya Jiva in the universe is
infinitely infinite , this number would never be exhausted.
12)
Samyaktva (right belief) Margana : This
margana represents the type of right belief a jiva may be having. Totally six
types are possible. First is Mithya Drishti ( wrong believer) which are
prevalent in most of the universe. Under suppression of Mithyatva karma the
Jiva first attains Upasham Samyaktva . The Upasham is a transient state which
leads to more stable state known as Vedak Samyaktva. However Jiva may fall
before reaching stable state to 2nd Gunasthana which is known as
Sasadan Samyaktva when the JIva is just ready to fall into Mithyatva. There is
also an intermediate state known as Samyak Mithyatva which is a mixed state of
right and wrong belief which occurs in 3rd Gunasthana . People from
1st Gunasthana may climb into 3rd or fall from 4th
5th or 6th. Lastly there is Kshayik Samyaktva which
represents permanent right belief from which a Jiva can never fall. This can be
achieved if the Mithyatva karma is totally destroyed by Jiva. Thus in all six
types of Samyaktvas can be experienced
by Jivas .
13)
Samgyi( with mind) Margana: The Jivas who
have mind apart from five senses are known as Samgyi while those who do not
have are known as Asamgyi. This
capability is in accordance with lack of obscuration of the karmas which obscure
the mind. Only in Jivas with 5 senses the both types exist. Jivas less than 5
senses are always Asamgyi.
14)
Aaahar ( food) Margana: There are three
types of bodies feasible to Jivas namely Audarik ( human and animal),
Vaikriyik( heaven and hell), Aahark ( Muni) and capability to accept the
Nokarma particles in the body for activities of mind, speech or body is called
Aahar. Primarily these are material particles absorbed by the body to sustain itself
and is not conventional food . All the Jivas are consuming these particles at
all times hence they are Aaharak most of the time. Only time they do not
consume these particles is when they do not have body which happens at the time
of transmigration from one body to next. This can be a maximum period of 3
samay for which Jiva is Anaaharak ( without food) .The only other time a Jiva
can be Anaaharak is when he has attained Keval Jnana and does Kevali Samudghat
to equalize the ayu karma with naam and gotra karmas.
In this manner 14 Marganas are used to
comprehensively describe the state of a given Jiva. Further there are cross
correlation between them which help in fully understanding Jiva form. For
example a Naraki Jiva would have only five sensed, Samgyi, Trasakaya,
transgender. He would have one of the 4 passions at given time , one of the 3
inferior leshyas and so on. The Jain scripture describes the rules pertaining
to their numbers, period etc. quite
extensively so that one can visualize the characteristics of Jivas quite
clearly.
Thanks for the information.
ReplyDeleteWhich jain sidhhant book is this information from ? Can you cite your references.