Jain Metaphysics and Science: 4.2 Classification of Soul

Primarily souls are of two types, the liberated souls (substantial reality) and mundane souls (psychical order). The mundane souls are further classified as follows.

1. Active souls (vyavahara rasi) and Inactive souls (avyavahara rasi) Active souls are the psychical order souls who assume different kind of modes in accordance with their karmas and who take birth anywhere in the loka. Inactive souls are confined to the bottom part of lower loka (nitya nigod, see fig 6.4). Their modes always belong   to the least developed category of nano organisms called nigod. Their lifespan is so short that in a period of one heartbeat they complete seventeen life cycles. An inactive soul comes out of nitya nigod and becomes and active soul when a soul in loka is liberated. Thus the number of active souls (mundane) in loka is always same. In this process the number of liberated souls increases and the number of inactive souls decreases. The total number of liberated souls is infinite and the total number of inactive souls is infinitely infinite. Thus there is an inexhaustible stock of inactive souls whose population shall not materially change at any time in future, even after migration of infinite souls to active category. All inactive souls are alike.
   
   
2. Souls capable of liberation (bhavya Jiva) and souls not capable of liberation (abhavya jiva).  Some souls are capable of liberation and some are not. However, there is no test to find out which soul is capable and which is not capable of liberation. This is known only to omniscient.
   
   
3. Mobile beings (trasa jiva) and immobile beings (sthavar jiva). Mobile beings are found in the central region of the loka known as trasnadi (see fig 6.4). The immobile beings are found all over loka. The nitya – nigod jivas are also immobile beings. Immobile beings have only one sense.
   
   
4. Subtle  (micro and nano) organisms (suksma jiva) and gross organisms (badar jiva) The subtle organisms are not visible to naked eyes. They may be immobile like nano organisms or mobile like bacteria and archaea (comparatively gross micro organisms). Gross organisms are visible to naked eye. They range from one sense plant and vegetation to five sense beings.
   
   
5. Organisms having mind (samanaska) and organisms without mind (amanaska) Normally five sense organisms have mind. All organisms having one to four sense and also some five-sense organisms do not have mind. All human beings and terrestrial, aquatic and aerial animals have got mind. Organisms without mind also do possess some thinking ability but that is negligible.