Jiva

What is Life?  

   Partly, this question has been ansered in the earlier paragraphs; however, in the larger context, it is interesting to know about the nature of the living beings vested with prana, the life-force.

    As far as the living cells and bodies are concerned we know about the structure and composition of the ‘cells’ (jiva kosha). Any object that is called ‘prani’ or life-form is characterised by movement, growth, and reproduction or multiplication. Virus is supposed to be the protozoa- the earliest and simple form of life. But the philosophical and the spiritual aspect of life remains a big question. Given a little moisture, a little soil, and heat, there appears a small jiva (life) that stirs in innumerable forms of worms, insects, germs, and many invisible forms, too. There are the life-forms consisting of a single cell like the paramecium, amoeba. Life is attributed by biologists to cell and its division into numerous forms of tissues, organs and body. The chemists say it is all chemical changes and varying chemical properties. The Physicists say, it is all vibration of Energy and nothing else. The Psychiatrists say it is just Mind and its Mind Waves and Vibrations creating thoughts, ideas, images, dreams, and a make-believe world, nothing else.

    Jiva is a living being and the jivatman is the core and the sustainer, the root of its existence. But what makes the Jiva is not known. A little soil, heat and water, there appears a jiva. The inorganic becomes organic and a biotic by mere combination of elements and compounds. When does the life-force (prana) enters the jiva (body) is a very miracle! The way a sperm enters an egg and get fertilized to be developed into a body of the like and what happens as cell-division and multiplication during the gestation period and finally get ejected as an offspring is a great marvel of creation.

   Hence, Life is remains a mystery. The jiva that takes a form and shape of a plant, bird, or an animal vibrates in different frequencies and operate at different wave-lengths giving us an idea of diversity, but basically it is just an energy particle, the soul (Atman). This unity has to be understood. This unity is one of body, mind, pranic energy, and the Soul (Atman) operating as one entity. Hence, it is just a vibration of energy for a short duration in some form and function that we call ‘Life’. It is a biological entity as long as it functions in a cell and it is a physical entity when it operates in a non-living entity. Enormous energy is found in radio-active minerals, so also mental energy that is immense and powerful.  

     Hence, LIFE is not just a four letter word. It has much more than what it spells. At first, it looks as if it contains only L for Light, I for Intelligence, F for Force, and E for Energy. When we look deeper, the word ‘LIFE’ contains a big IF in between L (light) and E (Energy); again, ‘Intelligence’ contains in tell I genes (gence); then again, Force contains an ‘or’ in it; and Energy contains ‘erg’ (meaning silicon particles). Thus, Life is everything from a small grain of sand to enormous creative intelligence, of course with a big ‘If’ (uncertainties and doubts) and an ‘or’ (alternatives) at every step. This calls for a closer understanding of Life, just not live it. An intelligent guy makes the best use of all that LIFE offers him/her. Life is more than what it appears to be. It is that unbounded Self, the Bahmn. When the supreme Lord para Brahmn created the living beings, including the plants, they were not functioning. He decided to enter it and the pulsation, vibration of jiva started. This is stated as – “tat srushtva tat evan anupravishat”. When the supreme Lord occupied His seat in the cavity of the heart, all the devas and devatas as Shakti took strategic position in the body to serve the Lord. This is stated in the Gayatree mantra where the twenty-four letters are the seed-syllables (Bijakshara) of the mantra-devata- Gayatree. Thus, the learned jnyanis treat the human body as a temple, whereas, the ignorant people misuse and abuse their body for their sensual enjoyments, unaware of the consequences. Ignorance is the cause of misery and bondage.

      Let’s first know the fundamentals of life. These fundamentals are very important for a happy and successful life. These principles are called the ‘tattva’. Actually, tat - tva(m) means ‘thou’ (art)’ that’, none else. But, it is very difficult to really understand this concept of the ‘Self’ because we do not have the requisite capacity to understand that. Hence, what all we understand is much limited and mostly wrong! What is seen, heard or what we believe may not always be true. There is an adage that “Truth is stranger than fiction”. Moreover, there is always a gap between what things appear to be and what things really are. Ultimately, we are led to disillusionment.

   The connotation of the very term ‘understanding’ is so deep and vast that “Understanding takes us as far as brahmn” (Yajurveda). The highest level of understanding is Brahmn. It is the level of ‘Pure Consciousness’, Shuddha vidya. Brahmn is pure consciousness, “Prajnyanan Brahmna” where “Consciousness is just aware, consciously aware, of itself, it’s ‘Self’, but nothing else! Self, the core of all that exists, is Brahmn.”

   Anybody can reach this highest level of understanding subject to certain conditions. The humans have certain limitations. Their intelligence is clouded by desires, wants and attachment. Moreover, fear and anger spoil their chance of enjoying a better life. Man can understand only certain things at certain levels only. Not everything read, heard, seen, or spoken is properly understood because the ability to understand depends on age and experience. It is age-specific. It is said that one has to become the Buddha only, not even the next level that of Paramartha Samudgata, who was next only to Gautama Buddha in all respects. In fact, Paramartha Samudgata was equally enlightened and a Buddha, too! It is said that there were five enlightened Buddhas/ jnyanis of the highest order, at the same time in that small village of Bihar! This Understanding, at different levels of consciousness, is just similar to what a student can understand about the Universe and the Solar System at different school levels such as the Primary, Higher Secondary, or College and University levels- Graduate, Post Graduate and Post-Doctoral levels. Further, it also requires a much greater effort and capacity to comprehend the inner meanings, and there is need for greater contemplation to understand the extra-sensorial and the metaphysical or higher spiritual aspects of life at higher and higher levels. It is difficult to reach the highest level of the Brahmn even by the Sages.

   There is no end to this spiritual exercise. But, many seekers, sadhakas, think they have reached the end and stop somewhere in the middle. The vijnyanamaya and the anandamaya koshas covering the Atman create this illusion. The spiritual seeaker aiming at the Brahmn should remove the avidya, the sheaths of ignorance that covers the Atman and cleanse all the mental acquisitions. Actually, the jiva is a jnyani, vedavidu at birth, and is called a jataveda, at birth; but, it has forgotten, rather it is covered by rajaoguna, tamoguna, desires, moha and other qualities.

   The most important thing to remember in life is that the embodied jivas are psychological / mental or psychosomatic (body-mind complex) in nature. The mind and body should normally work as one single entity, in unity consciousness. But, it will not work always in unity. This creates the problems.

    So, let us start from the beginning of Life and go to the end of it, till death or beyond, step-by step and understand what Life or death is, and how the jivas live and operate on this earth. Also, let us know the limitations of a jiva. Since the jiva is controlled by Mind (manas) it works at different levels. These different levels are known as the Vyahrutis (Realms or spheres of activity). Mind can act at any level at any time. Some of the expressions given to these levels of existence are Kailasa, Vaikuntha, Svarga, etc. however, these are to be taken in their proper perspectives.

     Nothing exists outside of one’s mind since Mind is the creator and the mind is the host of all creation. Everything exists within the sphere of the Mind. Mind operates differently at different levels. At certain lower levels, its main purpose is to sustain the body with the help of food and all its energy is towards getting food; at a slightly higher level its concentration is on protecting the jiva and providing some entertainment so that it may kill time joyfully. In this process, it forgets its main purpose of higher living and emancipation. Thus, it gets stuck in repeated births and deaths.

    Sri Aurobindo has given a classification of mind ranging from Supermind (ajnya chakra level) to Supramental state akin to sahasrar prajnya. The sub-conscious, the superconscious, the unconscious, and the conscious awareness are also enumerated under this classification. Yet another classification is that of the seven levels ranging from muladhara prajnya to sahasrar (See Appendix I)). All these sources of our knowledge remain an academic exercise as long as we use them for acquiring some knowledge only and do not take steps to adopt these principles in our day-to-day life with the help of spiritual practice (yogabhyasa) with the result we are denied the access to the ultimate goal of life. The cause of repeated births and deaths is now clear. The jiva that starts with journey on the earth with simple things like getting some food and shelter look to gratify the desires of the senses and search for greater and greater acquisitions of wealth. The simple desires give place to greater ambitions and the jiva get embroiled in worldly affairs forgetting its true nature and ultimate goal.