23.Kinds of Soul

KINDS OF SOUL


Upyog (Consciousness) is the characteristic of the soul. It is of two kinds-Knowledge (Gyan) & Perception (Darshan). Souls are of three kinds-Extrovert souls (Bahiratma), Introvert souls (Antaratma) & Supreme souls (Parmatma). From times immemorial the soul is bounded with Pudgal Karmas. On account of this Karma bondage our body is formed. Body is formed of lifeless Pudgal particles so it is also lifeless. As when the water & milk are mixed together, they become totally one but even then they can be separated, similarly body & soul are bounded together totally, but they can also be separated. It is due to Paudgalik body that the soul suffers the miseries of the cycles of births & deaths. Extrovert soul (Bahiratma)-Who considers that the soul & the body are one & the same and due to special attachment for the body, considers self to be happy or sorrowful in the comfortable or panic conditions of the body and considers self to be destroyed in the destruction of the body. This makes him an extrovert soul. (Bahiratma). Introvert soul (Antaratma)-One who regards the soul & the body as two separate objects is called Antaratma. He knows that the soul is enlightened & everlasting while the body is lifeless & mortal. He makes efforts for separating the soul from the body. Householders with right faith (Samyaktva) & Munis are Introvert souls. Supreme soul (Parmatma)-One who has destroyed all the four destructive Karmas is Arihant Parmeshthi (Worthy Soul) & who has been liberated from all the eight Karmas is known as Siddha Parmeshthi and they all are Supreme Souls, we also call them Bhagwan Jinendra Dev etc.