Jiva/Ajiva Illustration

(Teacher is putting something on the table)

Teacher: Ravi, what is this?

Ravi: Sir, that is a baby doll.

Teacher: Right. Can this doll walk by itself?

Ravi: No, it cannot walk by itself, but I can make it look as if it is walking.

Teacher: Neela, can this doll see with its eyes?

Neela: No, it can not see with those eyes.

Teacher: Ramesh, can it can sing?

Ramesh: How can it sing when it cannot even talk?

Teacher: Well, it has ears so it should be able to hear us.

Ramesh: (laughing) Sir, it can not hear or understand what we are talking about.

Teacher: Komal, can it can eat since it has mouth?

Komal: It can not eat or drink.

Teacher: Chetan, will it cry, if I drop it off the table?

Chetan: It will not cry.

Teacher: You all gave good answers. Do you all agree that this doll can not walk, see, eat, or listen like us?

Children: Yes, we all agree.

Teacher: What is the reason for this? What is the difference between the baby doll and us? Ravi, do you know?

Ravi: We are real people, while the baby doll is only a toy.

Ravi: We are real people, while the baby doll is only a toy.

Teacher: Ravi, can you tell me what "real people" mean to you?

Ravi: (scratching his head and does not answer)

Teacher: The difference between toys and real people is that those who can see, talk, walk, hear, feel pain, and pleasure are known as living beings (jiva). Those who can not talk, walk, hear, feel pain, and pleasure, etc. are known as non-living objects (ajiva).

So now Ravi, can you tell me the difference between the doll and us?

Ravi: Yes, since the doll cannot hear, talk, or feel pain and pleasure, it is a non-living thing. While we can talk, see, hear, and feel pain and pleasure, we are living beings.

Teacher: Very good, Ravi. Now you understand it right. Children, listen carefully, I am going to explain more about living and non-living objects.

Teacher: Very good, Ravi. Now you understand it right. Children, listen carefully, I am going to explain more about living and non-living objects.

Anything which has the capacity to know, learn, understand feel pain and pleasure, or has various senses is known as a living being (jiva). We can learn, know, understand, and feel pain and pleasure, and have five senses, so we are living beings.

Anything which does not have the capacity to know, understand, feel pain, and pleasure, or does not have various senses is called non-living thing (ajiva). Therefore, this doll is a non-living thing

Komal, is the bench which you are sitting on living or non-living?

Komal: A bench is a non-living thing, because it does not know, understand, or feel the pain of my weight.

Teacher: Komal is right. Now, what happens when you get an "A" on your test?

Komal: I feel happy, because I have feelings.

Teacher: Ravi, can you name some examples of non-living objects around us.

Ravi: Books, the table, chairs, pens, the clock, and the ruler are all non-living objects

Teacher: Neela, can you name some living beings?

Neela: Yes. Dogs, cats, cows, rabbits, parrots, lions, elephants, fish, chickens, and human beings are all living beings.

Teacher: Children, do you have any questions?

Children: No Uncle/Aunty, now we understand the difference between living beings and non-living things.

Teacher: Before we finish our class, I would like to remind you to be good to each other because everyone feels pain and pleasure.

Jiva – 1 sense living beingWe have only 1 sense that sense is touch

Jiva – 2 sense living being

We have 2 senses and these senses are touch and taste

Jiva – 3 sense living being

We have 3 senses and these senses are touch, taste and smell

Jiva – 4 sense living being

We have 4 senses and these senses are touch, taste, smell and sight

Jiva – 5 sense living being

We have 5 senses and these senses are touch, taste, smell, sight and hearing

Jiva – 5 sense living being

• Humans (Manushya)• Heavenly beings (devs)• Infernal beings (living being of hell naraks)

Jiva

• Arihants• Siddhas

We don’t like pain. How will you help us?

We don’t like pain. How will you help us?

Soul work

• Do a blindfold activity and write your experience in at least 4-5 sentences (5 points)

• Bring color pencils/markers for karma journal project

Project time

• Lets make karma journal and see how our future looks. Happy or Unhappy?

• Karma journal is a meter to measure our future happiness/unhappiness

What is soul after all?

• No shape• Scientist think body is biochemical

composition• Invisible energy• Invisible and has no shape so can’t be

experienced by senses

Continue…What is soul after all?

• Eternal and last forever• Can’t be created or destroyed• Happiness is the property of soul that’s why all

living beings want to be happy

Ajiva• Doesn’t have life or soul

• Literal meaning is “without soul”

• Have no feelings

• Can’t accumulate karma

• No birth, death, pleasure or pain

• Black particles are karma particles

• Red – pap • Green – punya

Punya – Wholesome karmas• Is acquired by virtuous or meritorious activity• If one does meritorious activity with the

feeling of attachment he earns Punya karmas• Depending upon the intensity and

accumulation of Punya karmas, one may be blessed with happy and comfortable situations

• Ex. Of happy and comfortable situations?

Päp – unwholesome karmas

• Are earned when our activities are bad and cause suffering to others

• results into unhappy and miserable situations• When Päp karma matures it brings nothing

but suffering and miseries• Ex. Of miserable and unhappy situations?

9 ways of acquiring Punya karma

• Offering food to the needy (only vegetarian food)

• Offering clothes to the needy• Helping the sick• Helping others to acquire knowledge• Giving charity (be sure money is used for the

good cause)

Read chapter 20 –Punya good deeds

..Continue…9 ways of acquiring Punya karma

• Helping parents, siblings, grandparents, monks and religious teachers

• Helping animals or organization that help animals

• Studying religious scriptures and following in our daily lives

• Worshipping Tirthankars

Soul work

• Complete making Karma Journal• Write at least 10 Punya activity and 20 Paap

activity that you have done in last few days/weeks