1. Fundamentals of
Jainism
Pravin K. Shah
JAINA Education Committee
Jain Study Center of North Carolina
509 Carriage Woods Circle
Raleigh, NC 27607-3969
Website: www.jaina.org
e-mail: education@jaina.org
Tele - 919-859-4994

2. Jain Beliefs
Fundamental Beliefs
ƒ Soul and Karma exist from Eternity
ƒ Karma is attached to the Soul from Eternity
ƒ The Soul is in Mithyatva (ignorance and wrong belief)
from Eternity
ƒ The Principle governing the successions of life cycles
(Birth, Life, and Death) is Karma.
ƒ Our Mithyatva and the intention behind our actions of
body, mind, and speech continue to bind us with new
Karma.
ƒ Karma / Mithyatva is the root cause of all Sufferings
ƒ Ultimate goal of life is Liberation from Karma (Removal
of Mithyatva in turn removes all Karma).
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3. Aim of Jainism
To attain Freedom of Soul by Freeing it from its
bondage to Karma.
Questions
ƒ What is Soul?
ƒ What is Karma?
ƒ What are their Qualities?
ƒ What is Bondage?
ƒ What is Freedom?
ƒ How is the Soul bounded by Karma?
ƒ How can one obtain Freedom of the Soul?
–Answer requires the proper knowledge of the Universe
and its substances particularly Soul and Karma and
their relationship. 3

4. Jain Religion Definition

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5. Morality vs. Spirituality
Individual
Person
Following Not Following
Law and Order Law and Order
Moral Immoral
Spiritual Non-spiritual
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6. Morality vs. Religion (Continued)
Jain Morality (Vyavahar Dharma)
ƒ Conduct in accordance with the rules
prescribed by Arihants / Tirthankars
ƒ Our action is accompanied by compassion,
friendship, love, sympathy, equanimity etc.
otherwise our conduct is mere hypocrisy
Jain Religion (Nischaya Dharma)
ƒ Purity of soul which results from the above
action (Removal of Karma / Mithyatva)
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7. Universe and its Substances
The Universe is made-up of six eternal and
independent substances:
Six Universal Substances (Entity/Dravya)
ƒ Jiva Soul or Living being
ƒ Pudgal Matter
ƒ Dharma Principle of Motion
ƒ Adharma Principle of Rest
ƒ Akasa Space
ƒ Käl Time
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8. Characteristics of a Substance
Utpada Origination
Vyaya Destruction
Dhrauvya Permanence
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9. Universe and its Substances
Paryay -
ƒ Every substance is continuously going through
Origination and Destruction. These are the
Transient Characteristics of a Substance known as
Paryay or Modification of a Substance.
Dravya -
ƒ While going through continuous changes, certain
qualities of a substance remain unchanged. These
are the Permanent Characteristics of a substance
known as Dravya of a Substance.
Dravya and Paryay are inseparable.
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10. Soul - Living Being
Every Soul is Individual, Independent, and
Eternal
Two Types of Souls
ƒ Free or Liberated Soul (Siddha)
ƒ Bonded or Worldly Soul (Samsari)
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11. Free or Liberated Soul
Free from all Karma
Known as Siddha or God
Possesses Infinite (Perfect) Knowledge,
Vision, Power, and Bliss
Has No Physical Body
Free from Cycle of Birth and Death
Free from Pain and Pleasure
Infinite number
Lives in Moksha
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12. Worldly (Samsari) Soul
Covered with Karma (Matter)
Doer of all Karma (Actions)
Recipient of Fruits of Karma
Wanders in Cycles of Birth and Death
Feels Pain and Pleasure
Possesses Limited Knowledge, Vision, Power, Bliss
Possesses Physical Body (Matter)
Possesses Contraction and Expansion properties
Infinite Number
Capable of becoming Free or Liberated
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13. Worldly Souls (Continued)
Possess One to Five senses
(because of its association with Matter/Karma)
ƒ Touch - One Sense
ƒ Taste - Two Senses
ƒ Smell - Three Senses
ƒ Sight - Four Senses
ƒ Hearing - Five Senses
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14. One Sense Soul
One Sense Soul is called Ekendria
ƒ Earth as body - Prithvikaya
ƒ Water as body - Apakaya
ƒ Fire as body - Agnikaya
ƒ Air as body - Vayukaya
ƒ Plant as body - Vanaspatikaya
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15. One Sense Soul (Continued)
Vanaspatikaya (Plant as body) - two types
ƒ Pratyek Vanaspatikaya
–Above ground vegetables, fruits, beans, etc.
–Each plant has innumerable cells
–Each cell is occupied by one soul
–Hence such Plant has Innumerable souls
ƒ Sadharan Vanaspatikaya
(Nigod or Kandmul ...Potatos, Onions, Carrots etc..)
–Under ground vegetables
–Each plant has innumerable cells
–Each cell is shared by infinite souls
–Hence such a Plant has Infinte souls
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16. Two to Five Sense Souls
Two senses - Beindriya
ƒ worms, leeches
Three senses - Treindriya
ƒ ants, lice
Four senses - Chaurendriya
ƒ flies, bees
Five senses - Panchendriya
ƒ animals, birds, humans, heavenly bodies,
hellish bodies etc.
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17. Five Sense Souls
Five sense beings (Panchendriya) are of two
types
ƒ Living beings without mind
–Can not attain Samyaktva and hence no
liberation
ƒ Living beings with mind
–Can attain Samyaktva
However animals, heavenly, and hellish beings
cannot attain or observe proper conduct and
hence cannot attain liberation
Only Human beings can attain Samyaktva and
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proper conduct and hence liberation

18. Matter (Pudgal)
Non-living Substance
Possesses No Consciousness, No Knowledge
Infinite Number
Possesses Body
Possesses Senses
ƒ Touch, Taste, Smell, Sight, and Hearing
Color
Occupies Space
Skandha, Skandha-desa, Skandha-pradesa,
Paramanu (Atom) 18

19. Eight Vargana (Matters)
All matters are classified into eight categories
ƒ Audaric Vargana Physical body
ƒ Tejas Vargana Tejas body - heat, digestion
ƒ Aharak Vargana Aharak body - small in size
ƒ Vaikriya Vargana Vaikriya body - small or large
ƒ Karman Vargana Karmic or Causal body
ƒ Swashoswäsh (Breathing) Vargana Provides breathing
ƒ Mano (Mind) Vargana Provides mind for
thinking
ƒ Bhäshä (Speech) Vargana Provides speech
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20. Five Bodies
Matter is composed of five different bodies
ƒ Audaric body Physical body
–Every soul possesses this body
ƒ Tejas body Tejas body - heat, digestion
–Every soul possesses this body
ƒ Aharak body Aharak body - small in size
–Only certain monks possesses this body
ƒ Vaikriya body Vaikriya body - small or large
–Heavenly and hellish beings possess this body
ƒ Karman body Karmic or Causal body
–Every soul possesses this body 20

21. Karma
Karma is matter (Pudgal) and hence it
possesses all characteristics of matter
ƒ No consciousness / knowledge
ƒ Very fine particles
ƒ Can not be seen/feel/verified
ƒ Entire Universe is filled with Karma particles
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22. Principle of Motion (Dharma) and
Principle of Rest (Adharma)
Non-living Substance
No Consciousness
One and Whole
No Senses, Color, and Body
Exist in Lokakas.
Dharma helps motion of Soul/matter
Adharma helps to rest Soul and matter
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23. Space (Akasa)
Space (Akasa)
Non-living Substance
No Consciousness
Everywhere (infinite)
One and Whole
Self Supported
No Form, Color, Touch, Taste, Smell, Sight,
Hearing
Lokäkäs - Provides space to all other Entities
ƒ Soul, Matter, Dharma, Adharma, and Time
Alokäkäs - Infinite Empty Space
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24. Yojan and Rajlok Measurement
Yojan
ƒ 1 Danda or Bow = 6 feet
ƒ 2000 Danda or Bow = 1 Kosha
ƒ 4 Kosha = 1 Yojan (@ 9.0 miles)
–Some other books give different measurement
ƒ 1 Dhanu = 6 feet
ƒ 4000 Dhanu = 1 Yojan (@4.5 miles)
ƒ 1000 Yojans = 1 Mahayojan
Räjlok or Rajju
–The distance traveled in six months by a ball of iron weighing
1,000 bhar (1000 tolas or 25 lb.) if allowed to fall freely from
heaven (Indralok) or
–A distance traveled by a deva (heavenly being) in six months at a
rate of 2,057,152 Yojan in one samay (Samay = unit of time =
@1/4 second)
ƒ = @1.15 x 10E21 miles
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25. Universe (Lokakas)
Total Height = 14 Rajju
Upper world Height = 7 Rajju
Middle world
ƒ Width = 1 Rajju
ƒ Height = 1800 Yojan
– 900 Yojan up and 900 Yojan down from surface
Lower world Height = 7 Rajju
Loka Volume = 343 Cubic Rajju (Digambar)
Loka Volume = 239 Cubic Rajju (Swetambar)
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26. Time (Kal)
One View -
ƒ Imaginary
ƒ No real existence
Another view -
ƒ Real existence
ƒ Innumerable time atoms
Measures changes of Soul and Matter
Not a cause of changes
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27. Time (Samay or Kal)
Smallest indivisible portion of Time is called one
Samay
Innumerable Samaya = One Avali
256 Avali = One Kshullak-bhav
Approx 17.5 Kshullak-bhav = One Breath (inhale + exhale)
3773 Breaths = One Muhurat (48 minutes)
16,777,216 Avalis = One Muhurat
2 Ghadi = One Muhurat
One Muhurat = 48 minutes
30 Muhurat = One Day
15 Days = One Fortnight
2 Fortnights = One Month
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28. Time (Samaya) Continued..
12 Months = One Year
5 Years = One Yuga
8,400,000 x 8,400,000 years = One Purva (70,560,000,000,000 Years)
Innumerable Years = One Palyopama
10 x 10,000,000 x 10,000,000 Palyopama
= One Sagaropama
20 x 10,000,000 x 10,000,000 Sagaropama
= One Time Cycle
One Palyopama
ƒ The time required to empty Sixty Four cubic Gau (512 cubic
miles) deep well, completely filled with hair of a seven day old
newly born baby and one hair is removed every 100 years.
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29. Time Cycle
Time Cycle - Käl Chakra
20 x 10,000,000 x 10,000,000 Sägaropam Years
Utsarpini (Rising Era)
Avasarpini (Declining Era)
10 x 10,000,000 x 10,000,000 Sagaropams
10 x 10,000,000 x 10,000,000 Sagaropams
from Miserable to Happiness
from Happiness to Miserable
Time is a continuous Cycle of Decline and Rise Era
Declining Era (Avasarpini) Time Cycle
Human virtues, Natural conditions decline over time
Rising Era (Utsarpini) Time Cycle
Human virtues, Natural conditions improve over time
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30. Time Cycle (continued)
Six parts of Declining Era (Avasarpini) Time Cycle
ƒ 1. Happy-happy 4 x 10E14 Sagaropama
ƒ 2. Happy 3 x 10E14 Sagaropama
ƒ 3. Happy-unhappy 2 x 10E14 Sagaropama
ƒ 4. Unhappy-happy 1 x 10E14 Sagaropama - 42000 years
ƒ 5. Unhappy 21000 years (present 2500 years)
ƒ 6. Unhappy-unhappy 21000 years
Six parts of Rising Era (Utsarpini) Time Cycle
ƒ 1. Unhappy-unhappy 21000 years
ƒ 2. Unhappy 21000 years
ƒ 3. Unhappy-happy 1 x 10E14 Sagaropama - 42000 years
ƒ 4. Happy-unhappy 2 x 10E14 Sagaropama
ƒ 5. Happy 3 x 10E14 Sagaropama
ƒ 6. Happy-happy 4 x 10E14 Sagaropama
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