Tattva(तत्त्व)

#Jainism #Dravyanuyog

Meaning

Tattva (तत्त्व) literally means "that-ness" — the reality or actual nature of a thing.

तद्भावस्तत्त्वम्
The state/nature that belongs to a thing is its Tattva.

In simple terms:

Tattva = वस्तु का यथार्थ स्वरूप
The actual nature of something as it really exists.

"Kim Tattvam?" — किं तत्त्वम्?

In the Bhagavati Sutra, **Gautama Swami asks Bhagwan Mahavir "किं तत्त्वम्" to which Mahavir responds "उप्पेइ वा, विगमेइ वा, धूवेइ वा"
which means something that originates, ceases to exist and permanently stays.

Thus:

A real existent is simultaneously permanent as substance and changing in its modes.

Example

Take a clay pot:

Nitya in Dravya + Anitya in Paryaya

This is a foundational expression of Anekantavada (अनेकान्तवाद).

Tattva in Dravyanuyog (द्रव्यानुयोग)

Dravyanuyog primarily examines reality through:

The 9 Tattvas organize this understanding specifically around the soul's bondage and liberation.

Classification of Tattvas

Jain philosophy commonly describes 9 Tattvas:

Tattva Crisp meaning
Jiva Conscious substance
Ajiva Non-conscious substances/reality
Punya Auspicious karmic bondage/result
Paap Inauspicious karmic bondage/result
Asrava Influx of karmic matter
Bandha Bondage of karma with Jiva
Samvar Stoppage of new karmic influx
Nirjara Shedding of bound karma
Moksha Complete liberation from karma

1. Jeev (जीव)

Definition: Jeev is a conscious substance (Chetan Dravya) characterized by consciousness (Chetana) and its manifestation through Gyaan (ज्ञान) and Darshan (दर्शन). It is eternal, independent, and distinct from Pudgal (matter).

1.1 Fundamental Characteristics

Characteristic Meaning
Chetana (चेतना) Consciousness; defining characteristic of Jeev
Upayog (उपयोग) Manifestation of consciousness through Gyaan and Darshan

Each jeev has Soul's core properties
Note: The four Anant qualities are fully manifested in a Siddha Jeev. In Samsari Jeev, their manifestation is obscured by karma.

1.2 Classification of Jeev

Jeev can be classified on the basis of:

  1. Number of senses (Indriya)
  2. Presence of mind (Mann)
  3. Mobility (Sthavar / Tras)
  4. Gati (गति)
  5. Bhavyata (भव्यता)
  6. Body and biological development
  7. Knowledge and spiritual development
  8. Karmic and existential conditions

1.2.1 Classification Based on Number of Senses (Indriya)

Jeev are classified into five categories based on their sensory faculties.

1.2.1.1 Ekendriya Jeev (एकेन्द्रिय जीव)

Definition: Jeev possessing only the sense of touch (Sparshanendriya).

Five types:

1.2.1.1.1 Prithvikayik (पृथ्वीकायिक)
1.2.1.1.2 Apkayik (अप्कायिक)
1.2.1.1.3 Teukayik (तेउकायिक)
1.2.1.1.4 Vayukayik (वायुकायिक)
1.2.1.1.5 Vanaspatikayik (वनस्पतिकायिक)
1.2.1.2 Dvindriya Jeev (द्विन्द्रिय जीव)
1.2.1.3 Trindriya Jeev (त्रिन्द्रिय जीव)
1.2.1.4 Chaturindriya Jeev (चतुरिन्द्रिय जीव)
1.2.1.5 Panchendriya Jeev (पंचेन्द्रिय जीव)

Key distinction: Panchendriya Jeev can be Samjni or Asamjni. Five senses and the presence of a developed mind are separate classification criteria.

1.2.2 Classification Based on Mann (Mind)

1.2.2.1 Asangi Jeev (असंज्ञी जीव)

Definition: Jeev without a developed mind (Manas)

1.2.2.2 Sangi Jeev (संज्ञी जीव)

Definition: Jeev possessing a developed mind.

Important: Sangi does not simply mean modern intelligence or self-awareness. It is a specific doctrinal category.

1.2.3 Classification Based on Mobility (Sthavar and Tras)

1.2.3.1 Sthavar Jeev (स्थावर जीव)

Definition: One-sensed Jeev classified as immobile.

1.2.3.2 Tras Jeev (त्रस जीव)

Definition: Mobile Jeev possessing two to five senses.

Note: Sthavar and Tras are doctrinal classifications. Physical movement alone is not sufficient to define the complete Jain classification.

1.2.4 Classification Based on Gati (गति)

Definition: Gati refers to the realm of birth of a Samsari Jeev, determined by relevant karmic conditions.

1.2.4.1 Narak Gati (नरक गति)
1.2.4.2 Tiryancha Gati (तिर्यंच गति)
1.2.4.3 Manushya Gati (मनुष्य गति)
Sammurchim Manushya
1.2.4.4 Dev Gati (देव गति)

Key distinction: Gati describes the realm of rebirth, not the permanent identity of a Jeev.

1.2.5 Classification Based on Bhavyata (भव्यता)

Definition: Bhavyata refers to a Jeev's potential for attaining liberation according to Jain doctrine.

1.2.5.1 Bhavya Jeev (भव्य जीव)
1.2.5.2 Abhavya Jeev (अभव्य जीव)
1.2.5.3 Bhavyata and Gati

1.2.6 Classification Based on Samsari and Siddha Status

1.2.6.1 Samsari Jeev (संसारी जीव)

Definition: Jeev bound by karma and undergoing birth, death, and rebirth.

1.2.6.2 Siddha Jeev (सिद्ध जीव)

Definition: Jeev that has destroyed all karmic bondage and attained Moksha.

1.2.7 Classification Based on Spiritual Development (Gunasthana)

- 14 Gunsthan

1.3 Relationship Between Classification Systems

Classification Basis Categories
Indriya Ekendriya to Panchendriya
Mann Samjni / Asamjni
Mobility Sthavar / Tras
Gati Narak / Tiryancha / Manushya / Dev
Bhavyata Bhavya / Abhavya
Existential status Samsari / Siddha
Gyaan Mati, Shrut, Avadhi, Manahparyaya, Keval
Spiritual development Fourteen Gunasthanas

Core principle: These classifications describe different dimensions of Jeev. They should not be treated as mutually exclusive categories.

1.4 Jeev and Karma

1.4.1 Karmic Bondage

In the worldly state, Soul's core properties are obscured or limited by Karma Pudgala .

Karmic bondage is explained through the interaction of Jeev's activities and karmic matter.

Key causes - Asrav

1.5.2 Jeev and Pudgal

Key principle: Karmic matter binds to Jeev through relevant causes and conditions, while the two remain ontologically distinct dravyas.

1.5 Key Takeaways

2. Ajeev (अजीव)

Ajeev = Non-soul / non-conscious reality
Everything that is not Jiva falls under Ajiva.

The five Ajeev Dravyas are:

2.1 Pudgal

Matter.
Anything that possesses :

2.2 Dharma Dravya (धर्म द्रव्य)

Medium of motion.
It does not cause something to move.
It provides the necessary condition that allows moving entities to move.

2.3 Adharma Dravya (अधर्म द्रव्य)

Medium of rest.
It does not cause something to stop.
It provides the necessary condition for an entity to remain at rest.

2.4 Akasha (आकाश)

Space.
It provides accommodation to all other Dravyas.

2.5 Kala (काल)

Time.
It is associated with change, sequence and the manifestation of paryaya.

3. Punya (पुण्य)

Punya = Meritorious Karma Types and Subtypes / auspicious karmic result
Punya is associated with shubha (शुभ) states and activities that produce desirable worldly results.
Examples of worldly results associated with Punya include:

An

  • Punya is beneficial from a worldly perspective, but it is still bondage.
  • Punya therefore cannot itself produce Moksha.
  • It can produce a more favourable environment for spiritual progress, but the ultimate goal is to transcend both Punya and Paap.

4. Paap (पाप)

Paap = Demeritorious Karma Types and Subtypes / inauspicious karmic result

Paap is associated with ashubha (अशुभ) states and activities that produce undesirable worldly results.

Examples include karmic results associated with:

Like Punya, Paap belongs to worldly bondage.
Therefore:
*Punya ≠ Moksha
Paap ≠ Moksha

The liberation-oriented goal is ultimately:

Punya and Paap both cease to bind the soul.

5. Asrava (आस्रव)

Asrava = Influx of karma

Asrava is the process by which Karma Pudgala becomes associated with the Jiva.

Read more in Asrav

6. Bandha (बंध)

Bandha = Karmic bondage
Asrav was influx, and Bandh defines attachment of karma to soul.
Read more in Bandha

7. Samvar (संवर)

Samvar = Stoppage of karmic influx
Read more in Samvar

8. Nirjara (निर्जरा)

Nirjara = Shedding of bound karma
Nirjara is the removal of karma that has already been bound to the soul.

A simplified distinction:
Samvar → stops NEW karma
Nirjara → removes OLD karma

9. Moksha (मोक्ष)

Moksha = Liberation
Moksha occurs when:

  1. All karmic bondage has been eliminated
  2. No new karmic bondage occurs
  3. The soul exists in its pure state

The liberated Jiva possesses its unobscured intrinsic qualities.

The soul reaches the Siddha state (सिद्ध अवस्था).

There is:

The soul remains eternally free from karmic bondage.

The Complete Causal Map

The 9 Tattvas become much easier to understand when viewed as a process:

	         JIVA
               │
        interacts with Ajiva
               │
        ┌───────┴────────┐
        ↓                ↓
      Asrava          Samvar
        ↓                │
      Bandha              │
        ↓                │
    Punya / Paap           │
        │                │
        └───────┬────────┘
                ↓
             Nirjara
                ↓
             Moksha

Tattva and Samyak Darshan

This is why Tattva Shraddha (तत्त्व श्रद्धा) is central to Samyak Darshan

Samyak Darshan means having the correct श्रद्धा toward the fundamental realities.

Conceptually:

Mithyatva
   ↓
Wrong understanding / valuation of reality

Samyak Darshan
   ↓
Correct श्रद्धा in Tattvas
   ↓
Samyak Gyaan
   ↓
Correct understanding
   ↓
Samyak Charitra
   ↓
Samvar + Nirjara
   ↓
Moksha

The important point is that Samyak Darshan is not merely believing "the nine Tattvas exist."

It means developing the correct श्रद्धा toward their actual nature and significance.

Key Mental Model

Tattvas are not merely nine things to memorize. They form a causal model of Samsara and Moksha.

Jiva is the experiencer.

Ajiva is everything non-conscious.

Asrava + Bandha explain how karmic bondage occurs.

Punya + Paap describe the auspicious and inauspicious dimensions of karmic existence.

Samvar + Nirjara explain the two sides of liberation practice:

Moksha is the final state when karmic obstruction is completely eliminated.

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