Margana (मार्गणा)

• Margana means a point/aspect through which a Jiva is examined or classified.
• Jain scriptures examine a Jiva from 14 different perspectives, called 14 Mool Marganas (मूल मार्गणाएँ).
• These 14 Marganas together have 62 forms/bheda (भेद).
• The purpose is to systematically identify the state of a Jiva and then examine other details such as its location, duration, karmic condition, etc.
• The same Jiva can therefore be described through all 14 Marganas simultaneously.

14 Mool Margana classifications

Classification

1. Gati Margana (गति मार्गणा)

• Signifier: Jiva kis Gati mein hai; i.e. which realm of existence it belongs to.
• Total: 4

1.1 Narak Gati (नरक गति)

• Signifier: Hellish existence.
• State: Intense suffering and unfavourable karmic fruition.

1.2 Tiryanch Gati (तिर्यंच गति)

• Signifier: Non-human worldly existence.
• Includes: Animals, plants and other Tiryanch Jivas.

1.3 Manushya Gati (मनुष्य गति)

• Signifier: Human existence.
• Significance: Particularly important for spiritual progress and Moksha-marg.

1.4 Deva Gati (देव गति)

• Signifier: Celestial existence.
• State: Predominantly pleasure-oriented existence.
• Limitation: Deva Gati itself does not lead directly to Moksha.

2. Indriya Margana (इन्द्रिय मार्गणा)

• Signifier: Number of senses possessed by the Jiva.
• Total: 5

2.1 Ekendriya (एकेन्द्रिय)

• Signifier: 1 sense.
• Sense: Touch (स्पर्श).

2.2 Dvi-indriya (द्वीन्द्रिय)

• Signifier: 2 senses.
• Senses: Touch + Taste (रस).

2.3 Tri-indriya (त्रीन्द्रिय)

• Signifier: 3 senses.
• Senses: Touch + Taste + Smell (गंध).

2.4 Chaturindriya (चतुरिन्द्रिय)

• Signifier: 4 senses.
• Senses: Touch + Taste + Smell + Sight (रूप).

2.5 Panchendriya (पंचेन्द्रिय)

• Signifier: 5 senses.
• Senses: Touch + Taste + Smell + Sight + Hearing (शब्द).

3. Kaya Margana (काय मार्गणा)

• Signifier: Type of body (काय) possessed by the Jiva.
• Total: 6

3.1 Prithvikaya (पृथ्वीकाय)

• Signifier: Earth-bodied Jiva.

3.2 Apkaya (अप्काय)

• Signifier: Water-bodied Jiva.

3.3 Teukaya (तेउकाय)

• Signifier: Fire-bodied Jiva.

3.4 Vayukaya (वायुकाय)

• Signifier: Air-bodied Jiva.

3.5 Vanaspatikaya (वनस्पतिकाय)

• Signifier: Plant-bodied Jiva.
• Note: Includes individual and common-bodied Vanaspati.

3.6 Traskaya (त्रसकाय)

• Signifier: Mobile-bodied Jiva.
• Includes: Dvi-indriya to Panchendriya Jivas.

4. Yoga Margana (योग मार्गणा)

• Signifier: Activity or vibration of the Jiva through mind, speech and body.
• Total: 3

4.1 Mano Yoga (मनोयोग)

• Signifier: Activity through mind.

4.2 Vachan Yoga (वचनयोग)

• Signifier: Activity through speech.

4.3 Kaya Yoga (काययोग)

• Signifier: Activity through body.
• Karmic significance: Yoga is an important condition for Asrava (आस्रव).

5. Veda Margana (वेद मार्गणा)

• Signifier: Sexual disposition (वेद).
• Total: 3

5.1 Purush Veda (पुरुषवेद)

• Signifier: Male sexual disposition.

5.2 Stri Veda (स्त्रीवेद)

• Signifier: Female sexual disposition.

5.3 Napumsak Veda (नपुंसकवेद)

• Signifier: Neuter sexual disposition.

6. Kashaya Margana (कषाय मार्गणा)

• Signifier: Four principal passions that disturb the Jiva's state.
• Total: 4

6.1 Krodha (क्रोध)

• Signifier: Anger.
• Effect: Produces agitation and karmic bondage.

6.2 Mana (मान)

• Signifier: Pride / ego.
• Effect: Creates superiority-inferiority based attachment to one's status.

6.3 Maya (माया)

• Signifier: Deceit / concealment.
• Effect: Creates crookedness between inner intention and outward conduct.

6.4 Lobha (लोभ)

• Signifier: Greed / excessive acquisition.
• Effect: Keeps the Jiva attached to desired objects.

7. Jnana Margana (ज्ञान मार्गणा)

• Signifier: Type of knowledge possessed by the Jiva.
• Total: 8

7.1 Mati Jnana (मतिज्ञान)

• Signifier: Sensory-mind based knowledge.
• Basis: Indriya and mind.

7.2 Shrut Jnana (श्रुतज्ञान)

• Signifier: Knowledge based on words, signs and previously acquired knowledge.
• Relation: Develops from Mati Jnana.

7.3 Avadhi Jnana (अवधिज्ञान)

• Signifier: Direct knowledge of certain material objects beyond ordinary sensory limits.

7.4 Manahparyaya Jnana (मनःपर्ययज्ञान)

• Signifier: Direct knowledge of another Jiva's mental states.
• Level: Higher form of knowledge than Avadhi.

7.5 Kevala Jnana (केवलज्ञान)

• Signifier: Complete and unobstructed knowledge.
• State: Perfect Jnana.

7.6 Matiajnana (मतिअज्ञान)

• Signifier: Wrong knowledge corresponding to Mati Jnana.

7.7 Shrutajnana (श्रुतअज्ञान)

• Signifier: Wrong knowledge corresponding to Shrut Jnana.

7.8 Vibhanga Jnana (विभंगज्ञान)

• Signifier: Indeterminate or incomplete knowledge.
• Contrast: Not complete like Kevala Jnana.

8. Samyama Margana (संयम मार्गणा)

• Signifier: Degree and nature of restraint (संयम).
• Total: 7

8.1 Samayik (सामायिक)

• Signifier: Equanimous restraint.
• Focus: Remaining in Samata (समता).

8.2 Chedopasthapaniya (छेदोपस्थापनीय)

• Signifier: Restored monastic conduct after a transgression.
• Focus: Correction through prescribed process.

8.3 Parihar Vishuddhi (परिहार विशुद्धि)

• Signifier: Purification through special restraint and penance.
• Focus: Greater purification of conduct.

8.4 Sukshma Samparaya (सूक्ष्मसांपराय)

• Signifier: Only extremely subtle Kashaya remains.
• State: Very high level of restraint.

8.5 Yathakhyat (यथाख्यात)

• Signifier: Conduct corresponding to the Jiva's actual spiritual purity.
• State: Highest form of Charitra (चरित्र) in this classification.

8.6 Desavirati (देशविरति)

• Signifier: Partial restraint.
• State: Some activities are renounced while others remain.

8.7 Avirati (अविरति)

• Signifier: Absence of restraint.
• State: Inability to abstain from worldly activities.

9. Darshana Margana (दर्शन मार्गणा)

• Signifier: Type of Darshana (दर्शन), i.e. non-specific perception.
• Total: 4

9.1 Chakshu Darshana (चक्षुदर्शन)

• Signifier: Non-specific perception through the eye.

9.2 Achakshu Darshana (अचक्षुदर्शन)

• Signifier: Non-specific perception without the eye.

9.3 Avadhi Darshana (अवधिदर्शन)

• Signifier: Darshana associated with Avadhi.

9.4 Kevala Darshana (केवलदर्शन)

• Signifier: Perfect and unobstructed Darshana.
• State: Associated with Kevala Jnana.

10. Leshya Margana (लेश्या मार्गणा)

• Signifier: Psychic colouring or quality of the Jiva's Bhava (भाव).
• Total: 6
• Order: More impure → progressively purer.

10.1 Krishna Leshya (कृष्ण लेश्या)

• Signifier: Darkest Leshya.
• State: Highly impure Bhava.

10.2 Neel Leshya (नील लेश्या)

• Signifier: Dark blue Leshya.
• State: Impure disposition.

10.3 Kapot Leshya (कापोत लेश्या)

• Signifier: Grey/dove-coloured Leshya.
• State: Intermediate lower purity.

10.4 Tejo Leshya (तेजो लेश्या)

• Signifier: Fiery Leshya.
• State: Comparatively purer disposition.

10.5 Padma Leshya (पद्म लेश्या)

• Signifier: Lotus-coloured Leshya.
• State: Higher purity.

10.6 Shukla Leshya (शुक्ल लेश्या)

• Signifier: White Leshya.
• State: Highest degree of purity among the six Leshyas.

11. Bhavya Margana (भव्य मार्गणा)

• Signifier: Capacity of the Jiva for Moksha (मोक्ष).
• Total: 2

11.1 Bhavya (भव्य)

• Signifier: Jiva capable of attaining Moksha.
• Note: Capability does not mean immediate or guaranteed liberation.

11.2 Abhavya (अभव्य)

• Signifier: Jiva incapable of attaining Moksha.

12. Samyaktva Margana (सम्यक्त्व मार्गणा)

• Signifier: State of Samyaktva or right belief (सम्यग्दर्शन).
• Total: 6

12.1 Kshayopashamika (क्षायोपशमिक)

• Signifier: Samyaktva through partial destruction and suppression of relevant Mohaniya Karma.

12.2 Aupashamika (औपशमिक)

• Signifier: Samyaktva through suppression of relevant Mohaniya Karma.

12.3 Kshayika (क्षायिक)

• Signifier: Samyaktva through complete destruction of Darshana Mohaniya Karma.

12.4 Mithyatva (मिथ्यात्व)

• Signifier: Wrong belief.
• State: Reality is understood in a fundamentally incorrect manner.

12.5 Sasadana (सासादन)

• Signifier: Falling state associated with loss of previously attained Samyaktva.

12.6 Mishra (मिश्र)

• Signifier: Mixed state.
• State: Right and wrong belief coexist in a mixed manner.

13. Sanjni Margana (संज्ञी मार्गणा)

• Signifier: Presence or absence of mind (मन).
• Total: 2

13.1 Sanjni (संज्ञी)

• Signifier: Jiva possessing mind (मन).
• Capacity: Able to perform mental activity.

13.2 Asanjni (असंज्ञी)

• Signifier: Jiva without mind.
• State: No developed mental faculty.

14. Ahari Margana (आहारी मार्गणा)

• Signifier: Whether the Jiva is in an Aharak (आहारक) or Anaharak (अनाहारक) state.
• Total: 2

14.1 Aharak (आहारक)

• Signifier: Ahar ग्रहण करने वाला state.
• Focus: Relationship with intake of Pudgala (पुद्गल).

14.2 Anaharak (अनाहारी)

• Signifier: Non-Aharak state.
• Focus: State in which Ahar is not being taken in.

Summary of 14 Marganas

• Gati: 4

• Indriya: 5

• Kaya: 6

• Yoga: 3

• Veda: 3

• Kashaya: 4

• Jnana: 8

• Samyama: 7

• Darshana: 4

• Leshya: 6

• Bhavya: 2

• Samyaktva: 6

• Sanjni: 2

• Ahari: 2

• Total: 14 Mool Marganas with 62 subdivisions (bheda).

• The key idea is that a Jiva can be simultaneously classified through all 14 Marganas, giving a multidimensional description of its present state.