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'''Jīva''' (devanāgarī: जीव) is a [[Sanskrit]] word meaning "soul, life, vital breath". In [[Hinduism]] and [[Jainism]], a jiva is a living being, or more specifically, the immortal essence of a living organism (human, animal, fish or plant etc.) which survives physical death. It has a similar usage to atma, "the cosmic self", although jīva denotes an individual 'living entity' or 'living being' specifically.
#redirect [[Jiva]]
 
In [[Theosophy]] this word is frequently used as a synonym of the manifested "life-principle" ([[prāṇa]]).<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. V (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1988), 111.</ref> However, sometimes the term is used in a more general way to refer to the universal life,<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. X (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1980), 607, fn.</ref> or even to the [[Monad]],<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''The Secret Doctrine'' vol. I, (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 238.</ref> although the proper term for the latter is Jīvātman.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. IV (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1991), 547.</ref>
 
== General description ==
 
Jiva is regarded as the universal principle of [[life]] manifested on the [[seven planes]]. This life is contained in every particle of [[matter]] though, in truth, life and matter are two aspects of the same reality:
 
<blockquote>Jiva—in its universal aspect—has, like Prakriti, its seven forms, or what we have agreed to call “principles.” Its action begins on the plane of the Universal Mind (Mahat) and ends in the grossest of the Tanmatric five planes—the last one, which is ours. Thus though we may, repeating after Sankhya philosophy, speak of the seven prakritis (or “productive productions”) or after the phraseology of the Occultists of the seven jivas—yet, both Prakriti and Jiva are indivisible abstractions, to be divided only out of condescension for the weakness of our human intellect.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. IX (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1974), fn. 77.</ref></blockquote>
 
== Jivatman ==
 
A related concept is that of Jīvātman, which refers to the highest principle of life--[[Ātman]]:
 
<blockquote>Esoteric Buddhists or Arhats, recognizing but one life, ubiquitous and omnipresent, call by the name of “Jiv,” the manifested life, the second principle; and by Atman or Jivatman, the seventh principle or unmanifested life.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. IV (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1991), 547.</ref></blockquote>
 
It has a similar usage to [[Atman]], but whereas ''ātman'' refers to "the cosmic self", ''jīva'' is used to denote an individual 'living entity' or 'living being' specifically. The terms ''[[Paramātma]]'' and ''jīvātma'' are used to avoid confusion.
 
However, in the [[The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett (book)|Mahatma Letters]] ''jīvātma'' is sometimes used as a synonym of [[prāṇa]].<ref>Vicente Hao Chin, Jr., ''The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett in chronological sequence'' LBS-Appendix II (Quezon City: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 510.</ref> Mme. Blavatsky, in a note published in the August 1883 issue of ''The Theosophist'' (Vol. IV, No. 11, p. 282) explains the reason for this use:
 
<blockquote>Jiva or Prana (Life principle). The word “Jivatma,” used only by the Buddhists, who make no difference between manifested and unmanifested Life outside of Esotericism, was through oversight erroneously used in Fragment No. I, and since then rectified. Jivatma is the 7th principle with the Vedantees and the Theosophists have agreed to use it but in the latter sense.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. V (Los Angeles, CA: Philosophical Research Society, 1950), 409-410.</ref></blockquote>
 
[[T. Subba Row]], an early [[Theosophist]] and [[Occultism|occultist]] belonging to the [[Advaita Vedanta]] philosophy says:
 
<blockquote>The term Jîvâtma is generally applied by our philosophers to the seventh principle when it is distinguished from Paramâtma or Parabrahman.<ref>Helen Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. III (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1968), 409-410.</ref></blockquote>
 
==Online Resources==
===Articles===
*[http://www.theosophy.ph/encyclo/index.php?title=J%C4%ABva# Jīva] at Theosopedia
 
== Notes ==
<references/>
 
[[Category:Sanskrit terms]]
[[Category:Theosophical concepts]]
[[Category:Concepts in The Secret Doctrine]]
[[Category:Hindu concepts]]

Latest revision as of 18:51, 6 July 2017

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