Dr. N.L. Kachhara
Souls are of four types according to birth
1. Infernal beings (Naraki)
The souls living in hell are infernal beings. The hellish lands are contained in the lower loka (see fig 6.4). The souls in the middle loka who are very cruel, wicked and evil minded take birth in hell. The infernal beings are subjected to physical and mental torture and suffer the rages of heat and cold.
2. Animals
Animals are the biggest group among active souls. All souls having one to four senses necessarily belong to animal category. They include organisms like worms, ants, fly, insects etc. Higher animals have five senses. They include terrestrial and aquatic beings and birds. The five sensed animals generally have mind. Some animals are supposed to have asexual spontaneous birth (sammurchan) and such organisms do not have mind. They are also underdeveloped and have a short span of life.
3. Human beings
Humans are highest developed and capable beings. Human beings are of three kinds (i) born on land of action (ii) born on land of inaction and (iii) having birth by agglutination (sammurchim). Humans born on a land of action make their living by productive efforts employing skills of agriculture craft, trading, reading, writing, defending and self protection, etc. Humans on lands of inaction are born in pairs of male and female and depend on trees (kalpvriksa providing fruits, vegetables and other needs) for their living. These humans are simple, sweet natured and soft speaking. Souls taking birth by agglutination are humans only for the namesake; they are microscopic and born in excreta and urine of human beings in highly undeveloped state and have a very short span of life.
Human beings have the controlling role in this world. Humans are discovering nature generating vast amount of knowledge and information, and are inventing machines, and aids for their physical and mental help and pleasure. Human beings only, among all organisms, have the capacity and abilities to acquire super natural powers through meditation and spiritual efforts. The total population of human beings is less than the population of infernal beings or celestial beings. Life as a human being is a rare possibility and is highly valuable.
4. Celestial beings (Devas)
Celestial beings live in heavens. Their bodies are made from luminous material. Celestial beings enjoy high degree of pleasure and prosperity and possess super natural powers of many kinds. They have a long span of life; on expiry of life span a celestial being is not born in heaven again. Similarly an infernal being is not reborn in hells. That is, both of these kinds of souls are reborn in middle loka (Earth like planets). The human and animals that are found in middle loka can be reborn in any part of loka.
