Jiva (जीवः)

Jīva (Samskrit: जीवः), literally means a living being, in Indian thought is a technical term closest to what is called “person” in contemporary psychology. Jiva is studied in various aspects such as biological, physiological, intellectual, psychological and metaphysical levels. A Jiva has a distinct psychological identity different from purusha and brahman simply because of the vrittis of the manas and buddhi which are a part of Jiva.

Introduction

In the Upanishads, the Indian concept self, the ātman appears to be closely associated with the concepts of purusha and jiva variously designating the individual person. Sometimes the term ātman is used in conjunction with other words that indicate the main features of the person:

• as a living self (jīvātmā)
• as embodied self (śārīra ātmā)
• material self (bhūtātmā)

These ideas provide the basis for the model of the person as a composite of body–mind–consciousness.

The Chāndogya Upanishad, uses the term jīva to designate a human being as an integral part of the cosmic order. A human being is not merely confined to the appearance it projects, that is, the physical contours and aspects of the body. It is a collection of three bodies (sthula, sukshma and karana shariras) encompassing the gross elements to the subtle layers of the mind that act as encasements for the true Self. The Taittiriya Upanishad presents the Vedic conceptualization of the mind-body complex, i.e., jiva.

Defining Jiva

The ātman/self concept in the Upanishads permits three basic interpretations,

1. Atman as in Brahman, the Universal or Supreme Self.
2. Atman as the sentient principle, consciousness-as-such (or pure consciousness) that enables one to be conscious, to know, feel, enjoy and suffer.
3. Atman as in the sense of Jiva (some call it as Jivatma), refers the individual agentic self, the one who knows, feels and does things.

The Śvetāśvātara Upanishad (5.7–12), describes some of the most crucial characteristics of the individual jiva:

अङ्गुष्ठमात्रो रवितुल्यरूपः सङ्कल्पाहङ्कारसमन्वितो यः । बुद्धेर्गुणेनात्मगुणेन चैव आराग्रमात्रोऽप्यपरोऽपि दृष्टः ॥ ८ ॥ (Shve. Upan. 5.8)

That Self (आत्म) which is of the size of the thumb (अङ्गुष्ठमात्र) subtle as the tip of a goad (आराग्रमात्र - tip most point of goad), pure and self effulgent like the Sun (रवितुल्यरूपः), and is associated with desires and egoism (सङ्कल्पाहङ्कारसमन्वित), as also with the qualities of intellect (बुद्धेर्गुणेन) and with those of the body (आत्मगुणेन) is perceived as though different (from Brahman as the individual form - Jiva). Further, the text explains - That Jiva is to be known as subtle as a hair point divided and subdivided hundreds of times. Yet he is potentially infinite.

नैव स्त्री न पुमानेष न चैवायं नपुंसकः । यद्यच्छरीरमादत्ते तेने तेने स युज्यते ॥ १० ॥ (Shve. Upan. 5.10)

He is neither female, nor male, nor neuter. Whatever body he assumes, he becomes identified with that.

सङ्कल्पनस्पर्शनदृष्टिमोहैर्ग्रासांबुवृष्ट्यात्मविवृद्धिजन्म । कर्मानुगान्यनुक्रमेण देही स्थानेषु रूपाण्यभिसम्प्रपद्यते ॥ ११ ॥

स्थूलानि सूक्ष्माणि बहूनि चैव रूपाणि देही स्वगुणैर्वृणोति । क्रियागुणैरात्मगुणैश्च तेषां संयोगहेतुरपरोऽपि दृष्टः ॥ १२ ॥

as one with a sense of self or ego and a capacity for imagination (saṁkalpa-ahaṁkāra-samanvito), endowed with an intellect (buddhi), an agent of his deeds (karma-kartā), and enjoyer of their fruits (upabhoktā).

Jiva - A Composite of Sharira, Manas and Atman

Indian psychology involves the study of the Jiva (जीवः) referred to in Vedanta (sometimes as Jivatma), as a composite human being. As per Vedanta, a jiva is conceived as a multilayered living entity, consisting of body (Sharira), mind (Manas), and consciousness (Atman). Jiva is the knower (jñātā), enjoyer/sufferer (bhoktā), and agent of action (kartā). Ayurveda texts present a similar definition of a person. With regard to the role of the constituents in psychological aspects, we have the following activities for each of the layers of the Jiva.

• Body refers to the nervous system, the senses (Indriyas), and associated structures connected with the brain. Body is the source of natural appetites, which translate themselves into desires, urges, cravings, and longings in the mind.
• Mind (manas) is the hypothetical cognitive instrument related to the body at one end and consciousness at the other.
• Consciousness is conceived to be irreducibly distinct from body and mind. It constitutes the nonphysical aspect of the person. It is the source of subjectivity and the very base of one’s experience of being, knowing, and feeling.

From the functional point of view a person functions at three different levels using the above three parts of the composite.

• A person is capable of processing information from the sense-organs through the instrumentalities of the body. This may be called the level of observation. Thus the sense organs are data collection points situated in the gross aspect of Jiva, namely the body.
• A person is capable of thinking, feeling and acting based on the mind's processing of information received from the sense-organs. This level of understanding is facilitated by the functioning of the mind. The mind is the data processor situated in the subtle aspect of Jiva.
• A person's mental faculties after appropriate sadhana, participate with the consciousness as-such (the Atman) relatively, if not absolutely, free from the bodily processes or their influence. This level is transcognitive realization of truth. In such a state, a person experiences the consciousness as-such, becomes aware of the truth self, and of what is real.

The concepts of shravana (literally hearing, but can be equated with observation in general), manana (thinking/understanding), and nididhyasana (meditative realization) roughly correspond to the three levels of knowing. At the level of shravana and manana, observations and understanding, there is a basic distinction between subject and object and thought and action. Knowing and being are dissociated. In meditative realization, a state achieved by nidhidhyasana, the distinction between subject and object disappears; thought and action, knowing and being blend into each other.

Body, mind, and consciousness are not only conceptually distinct, but are also mutually irreducible in the human context. Consciousness is qualitatively different from the body and the mind with which it may be associated. For this reason, though it is associated with a mind at a given time, it does not interact with it. The body and the mind, unlike consciousness, are physical; and they can interact with each other and are influenced by each other. However, it is important to note that a mind cannot be reduced into its physical constituents and a body cannot be transformed into a mind even though they influence each other within a person. They function differently. From this perspective, the body is conceived as gross matter that permits disintegration. However, mind being a subtle form of matter is not constrained by spatiotemporal variables in the same manner as the gross body does. The body disintegrates irretrievably at death. The mind, however, has the potential to survive bodily death.