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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. | '''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. | ||
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]] | 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 individualized life or [[Monad]].<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''The Secret Doctrine'' vol. I, (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 238.</ref> A related term is that of Jīvātman.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. IV (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1991), 547.</ref> | ||
== General description == | == General description == | ||
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<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> | <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> | ||
The relationship between Jiva and [[Prāṇa]] has been explained by Mme. Blavatsky as follows: | |||
<blockquote>Jîva becomes Prâna only when the child is born. . . . As an example, a sponge may be immersed in an ocean; the water in the sponge’s interior may be compared to PrâŠa; the water outside is Jîva.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. XII (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1980), 707.</ref></blockquote> | |||
However, there are also references of "Jivas" as centers of consciousness, the reincarnating human Monads,<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''The Secret Doctrine'' vol. I, (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 216.</ref> which are sometimes called the "Imperishable Jivas".<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''The Secret Doctrine'' vol. I, (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 218.</ref> | |||
The confusion comes from the use of the term either from the point of view of the occult teachings or the [[Advaita Vedānta]]. As Mme. Blavatsky wrote: | |||
<blockquote>The Jîva or the “life” of the Occultists and the Jîva or Jîvâtman (the only life or living soul) of the Vedântins are two ideas quite distinct one from the other . . . the Occultists call the second principle—Life—while the Vedântins, who do not recognize the Universal Life as the only Reality, and consider all the other Jîvas (or lives) as illusory, give that name only to the seventh principle—the divine monad in man—whose identity with the Parabrahm they maintain.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. V (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1997), 41.</ref></blockquote> | |||
== Jivatman == | == Jivatman == | ||
A related concept is that of Jīvātman, which refers to the highest principle of life--[[Ātman]]: | A related concept is that of Jīvātman, which frequently refers to the highest principle of unmanifested 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> | <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> | ||
In other occasions, it refers to the [[Monad#The_dual_Monad|dual Monad]].<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. IV (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1991), 581.</ref> | |||
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: | 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: | ||
Revision as of 16:43, 15 November 2013
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.
In Theosophy this word is frequently used as a synonym of the manifested "life-principle" (prāṇa).[1] However, sometimes the term is used in a more general way to refer to the universal life,[2] or even to the individualized life or Monad.[3] A related term is that of Jīvātman.[4]
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:
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.[5]
The relationship between Jiva and Prāṇa has been explained by Mme. Blavatsky as follows:
Jîva becomes Prâna only when the child is born. . . . As an example, a sponge may be immersed in an ocean; the water in the sponge’s interior may be compared to PrâŠa; the water outside is Jîva.[6]
However, there are also references of "Jivas" as centers of consciousness, the reincarnating human Monads,[7] which are sometimes called the "Imperishable Jivas".[8]
The confusion comes from the use of the term either from the point of view of the occult teachings or the Advaita Vedānta. As Mme. Blavatsky wrote:
The Jîva or the “life” of the Occultists and the Jîva or Jîvâtman (the only life or living soul) of the Vedântins are two ideas quite distinct one from the other . . . the Occultists call the second principle—Life—while the Vedântins, who do not recognize the Universal Life as the only Reality, and consider all the other Jîvas (or lives) as illusory, give that name only to the seventh principle—the divine monad in man—whose identity with the Parabrahm they maintain.[9]
Jivatman
A related concept is that of Jīvātman, which frequently refers to the highest principle of unmanifested life--Ātman:
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.[10]
In other occasions, it refers to the dual Monad.[11]
However, in the Mahatma Letters jīvātma is sometimes used as a synonym of prāṇa.[12] 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:
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.[13]
In agreement with this T. Subba Row, an early Theosophist and occultist belonging to the Advaita Vedanta philosophy, wrote:
The term Jîvâtma is generally applied by our philosophers to the seventh principle when it is distinguished from Paramâtma or Parabrahman.[14]
Online Resources
Articles
- Jīva at Theosopedia
Notes
- ↑ Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Collected Writings vol. V (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1988), 111.
- ↑ Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Collected Writings vol. X (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1980), 607, fn.
- ↑ Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, The Secret Doctrine vol. I, (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 238.
- ↑ Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Collected Writings vol. IV (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1991), 547.
- ↑ Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Collected Writings vol. IX (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1974), fn. 77.
- ↑ Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Collected Writings vol. XII (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1980), 707.
- ↑ Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, The Secret Doctrine vol. I, (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 216.
- ↑ Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, The Secret Doctrine vol. I, (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 218.
- ↑ Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Collected Writings vol. V (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1997), 41.
- ↑ Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Collected Writings vol. IV (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1991), 547.
- ↑ Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Collected Writings vol. IV (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1991), 581.
- ↑ Vicente Hao Chin, Jr., The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett in chronological sequence LBS-Appendix II (Quezon City: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 510.
- ↑ Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Collected Writings vol. V (Los Angeles, CA: Philosophical Research Society, 1950), 409-410.
- ↑ Helen Petrovna Blavatsky, Collected Writings vol. III (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1968), 409-410.