Home > Indian History > Indian Philosophy > Psychic Life of Incarnate Souls
Psychic Life of Incarnate Souls
Psychic Life of Incarnate Souls has arisen from unlimited power according to Jain Philosophy. It has been said as long as the soul is bound to any kind of matter it needs an organ to express itself.

Share this Article:

Psychic Life of Incarnate SoulsThe soul has been formed from Virya, i.e. unlimited power. But the Virya is developed completely only then when the soul is completely free from all the karma-mater. As long as it is not the case, Virya is extremely limited. It does not appear spontaneously, but it is bound to matter; it needs an organ as an accompanying cause to express itself, it needs a medium of body, organ of speech and thinking to be able to be effective.

This form of the Virya bound to matter is called yoga (activity). The activity of the soul consists in the vibration of the particles in it. Thereby the matter needed for the body, speech and thinking organs are attracted to it, transformed into the entities of these organs and they are again expelled. Since Yoga carries matter constantly into the soul, it is the main cause for receiving new Karmas.

Soul is activated in three ways; it is expressed in thoughts, words, and works and therefore it is conditioned by the thinking organ, speech organ or the body.

Application of the thinking-organ (Mano-yoga) is of 4 types: true (satya), when it is directed to that is true and false (asatya), when it is directed to something that is false; it is "true and false" (satyamrsa) when, what is thought, is both true and false, e.g. in an Asoka-forest in which there are also other trees besides the Ashoka-trees, and "neither true or false" (asatyamrsa), when, what is thought, is beyond the sphere of what is true and false.

The application of the organ of speech (Vak-yoga) is divided into the same 4 sub-types.

Application of the bodies (Kaya-yoga) is of 7 types depending upon whether one has to deal with the one of earthly body, body of metamorphosis, transference or Karma, or the one where two bodies work together. Application of the fiery body is not especially counted, because it is constantly connected with the Karma-body. The activity is the least among the lowest living beings; it increases with an increasing organization. Also the variety of activity grows with the class of the being; the development, fine Jiva with only one sense has only the activity of the earthly body, whereas all 15 Yogas can appear among the thinking beings which have five senses.

Application of the body and of the organs of speech and thinking has to be regularized to check the connection with the bad Karma-types. Once the condition of saintless has been attained by constant self-training, first the crudest and then the finer application of the body, speech thinking can be eliminated. The saint thus become Ayogi-kevali and now possesses eternally infinite virya which is bound to no organ and which is completely withdrawn from the influx of matter.


Share this Article:

Related Articles

More Articles in Indian Philosophy


Classical Indian Philosophy
Classical Indian Philosophy contains many analyses, rational principles and explanations. The Vedas have been considered as the first and the oldest scriptural texts of the Classical Indian Philosophy.
Ajivika Philosophy
Ajivika philosophy is different from the mainstream religion
Gunas - Hindu Philosophy
Guna in Hindu Philosophy in its philosophical sense refers to the constituent quality. The whole universe is guided by the three gunas, which are basically attitudes, qualities found in human being.
Bodhisattvas - Hindu Philosophy
Bodhisattva is a concept in Hindu philosophy and the Buddhist philosophy and refers to someone who is committed to attain Enlightenment.
Religion and Philosophy in Later Vedic Period
Religion and Philosophy in later Vedic period did see minute growth. However, rituals and traditions were religiously followed.
Theory of inference in Nyaya philosophy
Nyaya theory of inference is divided into five steps.
Theory for God in Nyaya philosophy
The Naiyayikas tried to establish the existence of God through logic.
Religious Influence on Indian Philosophy
Religious influence on Indian philosophy has been almost enigmatic, making it complimentary in perspective.
Morality and Ethics in Jain philosophy
Jains follow a fivefold path of morality and ethical purity, by which one can reach moksha.
Indian Philosophy In The Vedic Period
Indian Philosophy in the Vedic Period was primarily based on the concepts of nature worship.
Metaphysics in Jain philosophy
Metaphysics in Jain philosophy revolves heavily around the soul and its governing path and final emancipation.
Nether World in Jain Philosophy
Nether World according to Jain Cosmology consists of seven subterranean regions. Of the seven regions the above two regions serve as the abode of heavenly gods and in the rest torture of the souls is undertaken for any kind of misdeed.
Achintya Bheda Abheda Philosophy
Achintya-Bheda-Abheda is a School of Vedanta that represents the philosophy of unimaginable one-ness and difference in relation to the power creation and creator.