Jiva

MIND, MATTER AND GOD : JIVA, JADA AND ISVARA
M.M.NINAN
Duality Philosophy postulates that there are in fact three irreducible separate entities,
1. Iswara - God
2. The Beings – Living (Jiva)
3. The Material World - Non-living (Jagat)
World is real, the Jiva are many. Thus we have three eternal entities. Iswara, Jiva and
Jagat or Jada.
This is the empirical reality. There is no reason to doubt this experience. There is no
intellectual and logical reason for unity of Absolute
There is a clear distinction between the Creator and the Created - between Brahman
and the Jagat. The twins that are created are the Jiva and the Ajiva - the living and the
non-living. We differentiate between Paramatma (The ultimate Soul) and Jeevatma (The
living soul) Both the Being and the non-being are real.
Five fundamental, eternal and real differences are described in this system—
Between the individual soul (or jīvatma) and God (Brahmatma īshvara or Vishnu).
Between matter (inanimate, insentient) and God.
Among individual souls (jīvatma)
Between matter and jīva.
Among various types of matter.
These five differences are said to make up the universe. The universe is aptly called
"prapancha" (five elements) for this reason.
There is substantial difference between all these three. "tattvatah bhedah" is the one
that causes sensation and perception. If there is homogenity and identity, one cannot
differentiate one from the other. Jeevas and Jada are controlled by Iswara." jIvagaNA
hareranucarAh" Apart from the Tatva Bheda between Iswara an Jeeva and Jada so also
there is a difference in essence between Jeeva. There is gradation among the jivas.
Some are superior; some are inferior.
In this system Moksha is being in the likeness of Iswara. Since Iswara is independent of
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