Philosophy In Jain Agams: Jīvāstikāya and Jīva

According to Jain philosophy,   dharmāstikāya, adharmāstikāya, ākāśātikāya, jīvāstikāya and pudgala -are five astikāyas.^[1] There arises a question as to what is the difference between jīvāstikāya and jīva? Generally jīva and jīvāstikāya are considered to be having similar meanings. In the 20th śataka of Bhagavatī, both have been considered as identical^[2], but in the 2nd śataka of this āgama, the difference found between jīva and jīvāstikāya demands reflection. Souls are infinite. The aggregate of these infinite souls is jīvāstikāya. A single jīva cannot be considered as jīvāstikāya. One less jīva in aggregate also can not be a jīvāstikāya. The aggregate of all the jīvas together is jīvāstikāya.^[3] Jīva is a part of jīvāstikāya^[4] Each jīva is a mass of innumerable pradeśas where as jīvāstikāya denoting a conglomeration of all the jīvas, has infinite pradeśas.^[5] This is from the perspective of infinite number of jīvas and each and every jīva has been considered as a pradeśa of jīvāstikāya. So, jīvāstikāya has infinite pradeśas. Though, subsequently the jīva itself has been accepted as jīvāstikāya.^[6] When we call jīva as jīvāstikāya then its pradeś would be innumerable. They cannot be called infinite. The validity of infinite pradeśas of jīvāstikāya can only be proved by asserting the entire gamut of souls as jīvāstikāya.