Dr. N.L. Kachhara
Samayasaara, written by Acharya Kundakunda, is the most important and widely-respected philosophical work on the soulin Jain literature. In his Sanskrit commentary on Samayasaara, Atmakhyati, Acharya Amritchandra composed verses of great spiritual value and at the end provided a list of 47 Shaktiyan (Powers) of the soul. This short description presents some very important concepts of soul. Dr. Hukum Chand Bharill has written a Hindi commentary on this, which I have translated into English below.
The soul is known and identified through its jnana attribute. Jnana, a special attribute, is the identifying property of the soul; it is not found in matter (pudgala) or in other non-living substances. Hence in order to know soul we must understand jnana first. As a substance, jnana and soul are one and the same. The question, then, is why a distinction is made between them. This is because the existence of jnana can be experienced and proved; the existence of the soul cannot. Soul has infinite intrinsic (permanent) attributes; the other (perverted) attributes of soul, which may exist simultaneously or temporally, though different from jnana etc. are not different spatially from them. So a change in one attribute causes a change in other attributes too. The other temporary attributes are also known as the powers of the soul. The jnana attribute is the means to establish contact with the self as well as with the external world. Some attributes and powers may seem to oppose each other, but they are properties of the same soul.
We now describe the 47 rising powers and attributes of the soul. These powers are intrinsic to the soul and are not related to karma. The substance of the soul is one with the attributes and powers, and it does not carry the perverted modes of the soul. The 47 powers do include the relatively pure modes of soul, which are produced by aupsamika (subsidence) and ksayika (annihilation) states and by ksayopasamika (annihilation-cum-subsidence) states with right faith. These powers gain prominence in the pure modes of the soul. A question may be raised: when pure modes of soul are included in the powers, why are the perverted modes, which are also modes of soul and which occur in knowledgeable souls too, excluded? The reason is that, although this is a true understanding of the soul, the perverted modes are considered to be the weakness rather than power of the soul. The attachment and aversion, found in the ignorant by mistake and in the knowledgeable by weakness, cannot be said to be aroused by powers; and so the perverted modes are not counted as rising powers. These powers, though distinct in character, are mutually related and influence each other, so much so that their inter- relationship is essential to maintain the given character of the soul. This kind of cooperative interrelationship among powers is a specialty of the soul.
01. Life Power (Jivatva Shakti)
The existence of consciousness, which is the distinguishing character of the soul, is due to the life power. The life power is the source of “life” in beings. In the mundane state, food is the external auxiliary cause and age-determining karma is the internal auxiliary cause for the body. Life exists due to this inherent power of the soul. Due to this power, the soul has lived, is living, and shall live forever.
02. Consciousness (Chiti Shakti)
Due to the power of consciousness, the soul never becomes a non-living physical substance but remains “soul,” a sentient substance. The power of consciousness distinguishes the soul from inanimate substances; it marks a distinction between the soul and body. The “life” in a living being is just not due to the union of the soul and body, as signified by life power; it exists as a manifestation of the consciousness of the soul. The Chiti Power is the property of intrinsic consciousness, which is recognized externally by its life power.
03. Self-awareness (Drisi Shakti) and
04. Intelligence Power (Jnana Shakti
The soul makes a formless or general perception by the power of self-awareness and makes the perception of shape, size and particularity by the power of intelligence. The self-awareness and intelligence powers are in fact a manifestation of consciousness, but they have distinct functions.
05. Bliss Power (Shukha Shakti)
The bliss power creates, and is identified by, favorable states of the soul; the adverse states create pain. The favorable states are incorporated in the first four powers described above. Adverse states are not a property of the soul; they are created by karma. Right faith and right conduct are included in the bliss power; wrong faith and wrong conduct are the results of karma. The bliss power signifies that real pleasure is intrinsic to the soul: it is found in neither external objects nor meritorious acts. Meritorious acts may lead to temporary pleasure, but permanent bliss is an attribute of the soul.
06. Spiritual Energy (Virya Shakti)
The ability of the soul to create and retain its state is due to spiritual energy. A liberated soul (and Arihanta) has infinite perception, intelligence, bliss and spiritual energy as a result of the full manifestation of these powers. Spiritual energy is not related to the physical power of a being.
07. Almighty Power (Prabhutwa Shakti)
The soul is almighty, independent and capable of continued uninterrupted existence without any external assistance. All of the infinite attributes and their states are vested with the almighty power.
08. Extension Power (Vibhutva Shakti)
The extension power pervades all the powers of the soul (e.g. life power, consciousness power, self-awareness power, etc.) and also allows all of the other powers to pervade each other. This makes the soul an indivisible power unit.
09-10. Power of Omniscience (Sarva Darsitva and Sarvajna Shakti)
The power of omniscience is of two types, self-awareness and intelligence. Self-awareness omniscience enables the soul to have a general perception of the entire loka, or cosmos; intelligence omniscience enables the soul to have knowledge of all of the objects in the loka. These powers are somewhat similar, since the first introductory contact with an object is awareness and its detailed observation is knowledge. A mundane soul first experiences awareness and then knowledge of the object, whereas an omniscient or liberated soul experiences both simultaneously. An omniscient soul is able to perceive and know, in the minutest detail, the entire loka and aloka (supra-cosmic space), past, present and future, at the same time.
11. Cleanliness Power (Swachhatva Shakti)
All objects of loka and aloka are reflected in the soul at once due to the cleanliness power. Unlike a mirror in which only material objects are reflected, all objects, physical and non-physical, subtle or gross, in all their aspects including all of their properties, are reflected in the soul. The limits of time and distance do not apply to the non-physical soul: all objects far and near, present, past, and future, are reflected equally (i.e. temporal distinctions cease to exist). Just like a mirror, the soul is not contacted or affected in any way when objects of loka are reflected in it; both the soul and objects continue to maintain their individual and independent identity. However, this happens only in a pure soul (Arihanta or liberated state). As the cover of karma reduces, the reflective capacity of the soul increases until it may develop the capability of direct perception - leading to powers of clairvoyance and mind reading in a gradual manner - and ultimately gaining the capacity of total cleanliness power in the Arihanta state. The reflection occurs naturally, without affecting the peace and tranquility of the soul in any way.
Irrespective of karma, the cleanliness attribute is always present in some measure and the reflective power is never reduced to zero. The cleanliness power is also interspersed with all of the other attributes and powers, which, like cleanliness, never become extinct even under the thickest cover of karma. Because of this reflective power and despite reflecting all kinds of objects, good or bad, the soul remains pure and clean; the soul in the Arihanta state does not develop sentient feelings or emotions even if bombarded with insults or abuses.
12. Enlightenment Power (Prakash Shakti)
The soul has the power of knowing the self and experiencing the self in all its aspects. This power is called the enlightenment power. When this power is awakened, the soul is no longer dependent on external help to know objects.
13. Power of Non-restrained Growth (AsamkuchitaVikasatva Shakti)
The power of non-restrained growth allows the soul to grow and develop unrestrained, without the bounds of space and time. All other attributes of the soul (chetana, self-awareness, intelligence etc.) attain their full development in space and time because of this power.
14. Power of Non-interference (Akaryakaranatva Shakti)
Due to the power of non-interference, the soul neither becomes a cause for others nor does any external object become a cause for it. The substance and attributes of the soul are intrinsic and have no external cause. External factors have no direct role in the changes in the states of a soul, but they may act as auxiliary causes for it. Similarly, changes in external objects take place due to their own causes and the soul has no role in it. The concept of non-interference is important to understand the changes taking place in the soul, which are caused by the soul itself: there is nothing else, including the body that can cause them.
15. Transformations and Transforming Power (Parinamya-Parinamakatva Shakti)
Due to the transformation and transforming power the soul perceives external objects, and is cognized by others, without becoming a cause for changes in them. The soul knows the self as well as external objects, and also becomes an object of others’ knowledge. Thus the soul knows both the self and external objects, and also knows that others know it.
16. Power of Non-transference (Tyagopadan Shunyatwa Shakti)
The power of non-transference makes the soul just complete; it is not more or less than that required for its existence. The soul has nothing to add or reject for its complete existence.
17. Power of Subtle Changes (Agurulaghutva Shakti)
The soul has the power to make subtle changes without losing its attributes (and character). These changes take place in any of these six steps: infinitesimal, by countless fractions, by countable fraction, numerable times, innumerable times and infinite times, in increasing or decreasing order. Such subtle changes are characteristic of not only the soul but also of other real substances, both physical and non-physical.
18. Power of Creation-Destruction-Persistence (Utpada-Vyaya-Dhruvatva Shakti)
The soul experiences continuous changes due to its power of the creation-destruction of modes and persistence of substance. The soul does not need the help of any other object to induce changes in it. The power of creation-destruction-persistence is also a characteristic of other substances like pudgala (matter).
19. Power of Continuity (Parinama Shakti)
The creation and destruction (of modes) may produce states of an opposite nature in the soul, but such states maintain a relationship due to the power of continuity, so a substantial permanence is assured. The power of continuity permits the creation and destruction of states, preserving a relation and the essential character of soul.
20. Non-corporeal Power (Amurtatva Shakti)
The soul and all its states are non-corporeal due to the non-corporeal power.
21. Powers of Non-doing (Akartritva Shakti)and
22. Non-experiencing (Abhoktritva Shakti)
The soul in the absolute sense is a non-doer and non-experiencer of acts other than intelligence acts (referring to the acts of the soul in general as described by the term gyanbhava), i.e. the soul is the non-doer and non-bearer of acts of attachment and aversion (from the absolute point of view), which are perverted modes and controlled by karma.
23. Power of Inertness (Nishkriyatva Shakti)
The soul free of karma is inert: it has no vibrations. The vibration-less state is an intrinsic quality of soul.
24. Power of ConstantPradesha (Niyatapradeshatva Shakti)
Soul always has (mathematically) the same number of innumerable pradesha (space units), which are equal to the number of pradesha in the loka. The mundane soul occupies the space of the body: it contracts or expands according to the size of body, but the number of pradesha remains unchanged. This is also true for the liberated state, when the volume is supposed to be little less than the volume of the last body possessed by the soul.
25. Power of Confinement to Self (Svadharmavyapakatva Shakti)
The soul is confined to itself and does not extend into the body. The soul confines itself to its own attributes and never extends into the attachment and aversion attributes of karma or in the material and fiery bodies.
26. Power of Common, Special and Common–cum-Special Attributes (Sadharana - Asadharana - Sadharanaasadharana Dharmatva Shakti)
Soul has some common attributes (e.g. existence) that are also found in other substances. Soul has some special attributes (e.g. intelligence, self-awareness, bliss, etc.) that are exclusive to soul. Soul also has some attributes that are common to some (not all) non-physical substances (e.g. the non-corporeal power of soul is found in dharma dravya but not in pudgala dravya).
27. Power(s) of Infinite Attributes (Anant Dharmatva Shakti)
Soul has power to possess infinite attributes.
28. Power of Opposite Attributes (Viruddha Dharmatva Shakti)
Soul can have attributes of opposite natures.
29. Powers of Being Self (Tatva Shakti) and
30. Power of Not Being Non-Self (Atatva Shakti)
Due to the power of being self, the soul has attributes of its own substance; due to the power of not being Non-Self, the soul does not have the attributes of other substances. It cannot act and function like matter or other non-physical substances, e.g. dharma, adharma, akasa (space) and kala (time). All changes in soul are confined to its own attributes and forms; it never assumes the attributes and forms of other substances. The soul always bears the attributes of intelligence, awareness, bliss and self-power and does not possess attributes like attachment and aversion.
31. Powers of Oneness(Aikatva Shakti) and
32. Multiple-ness (Anekatva Shakti)
Soul assumes many different modes and forms, but its basic nature as a substance remains unaltered due to the power of oneness. Further, soul as a substance remains one but assumes different modes (forms) due to the power of multiple-ness.
33-38. Powers of Existence, Non-existence, etc. (Bhava Shakti, Abhava Shakti etc. Chhaha Shaktiyan)
- Existence of the present state at this moment is due to the power of existence (Bhava Shakti).
- Absence of states other than the present one at this moment is due to the power of non-existence (Abhava Shakti).
- The present form shall cease to exist in the next moment due to the power of the non-existence of the existing (Bhava-Abhava Shakti)
- A new form of the soul (which does not exist at present) will appear in the next moment due to the power of existence of the non-existing (Abhava-Bhava Shakti)
- At any given instant, the soul assumes only that form which can occur as per definite rules. This is due to the power of existence of the exist-able (Bhava-Bhava Shakti)
- At any given instant, the soul cannot have a form that cannot occur as per definite rules. This is due to the power of non-existence of the non-exist-able (Abhava-Abhava Shakti).
All changes take place in the soul due to the substance of the soul only; no other substance has a role in these changes. The change in the form of the soul follows the rule of karma; such changes are unavoidable and nothing can stop them.
39. Power of Self-Existence (Bhava Shakti) and
40. Power of Action (Kriya Shakti)
The power of self-existence (bhava) refers to the ability of the soul to exist in itself without external interference. It may be noted that the bhavashakti described above (number 33a) refers to the existence of states of the soul, whereas this bhavashakti refers to the existence of the soul itself. The power of action (kriya) refers to the power responsible for (the activity of) the creation of pure states of the soul.
The next six types of powers describe the six ways in which the soul affects such creations. We shall see that the pure states are created by the soul (Karta-Karaka), to the soul (Karma-Karaka), by the soul (Karana-Karaka), for the soul (Sampradana-Karaka), from the soul (Apadana-Karaka) and in the soul (Adhikarana-Karaka). The six act-related factors, Karaks, are defined as follows:
- The one who performs the act is Karta
- The process of the act is Karma
- The means of doing the act is Karana
- The beneficiary of the act is Sampradaana
- The source “from” which the action originates is Apadaana
- The base of the act is Adhikaran
41. KarmaPower (Karma Shakti) and
42. Kartritva Power (Kartritva Shakti)
Out of the above-mentioned six Karakas, the powers corresponding to the first two are:
- Karma power: the soul is the object of its own pure states
- Kartritva power: the soul is the doer of its own pure states
43. Karana Power (Instrument Power) (Karana Shakti)
The soul is the instrument in the creation of its own states due to Karana power.
This principle means that all acts like penance, rituals, merits, demerits, etc are not the main cause of liberation: rather, they are “instrumental” in the elimination of karma.
44. Sampradana Power(Sampradana Shakti) and
45. Apadana Power (Apadana Shakti)
- The soul is the beneficiary of the creation of the pure states (of soul) due to Sampradana power
- The soul is the source of the creation of the pure states (of soul) due to Apadana power
That is, all acts originate in the soul, for the soul, and for none else. Attributes like intelligence, self-awareness, and bliss belong to the soul for its self-enjoyment. These neither originate elsewhere nor can be transferred to others.
46. Adhikarana Power (Adhikarana Shakti)
The soul is the base for its own pure states due to Adhikaran power. The soul transforms states in general, and from the mundane state to the liberated state on the total elimination of karma in particular, due to Adhikarana power.
47. Power of Ownership (Sambandha Shakti)
The soul is the natural owner of the self; it owns no one else and no one else owns the soul. The soul is responsible for its own acts. Generally, the term “ownership” implies that one is the owner of some object other than the self. Here ownership indicates that the soul is master of its own self and is not the property of anyone else; soul is not the master of anything other than the self; it does not own any property. Soul owns its pure states. The soul is a complete and independent self and is not dependent on the external world or on external power for its function.
The above description of the powers of the soul provides a glimpse of the real powers of the soul. The soul possesses powers that manifest in various ways to manage its own states, as well as the body (through karma) in the mundane state –and yet it remains unadulterated and does not contract the properties of matter. The perverted modes of aversion and attachment are counted as weaknesses and not as rising powers of the soul: these karma-based modes disappear on the elimination of karma. The soul and body are exclusive to each other; they transform by their own powers and laws and appear to maintain a relationship by the principle of parallelism; changes in one are reflected in the other without the interchange of either’s attributes. Both soul and body have an independent existence, yet “life” is the result of their combination. The infinite attributes and powers of the soul make “life” in multiple forms and in multifaceted and multi-dimensional aspects possible.
In conclusion, we note that the soul is achaitanya-self (possessed of consciousness) having persisting attributes, successive modes and infinite powers and attributes and is never lacking in its primary identifying character: intelligence, self-awareness, bliss and spiritual energy.
