Ajiva

''Ajiva'' (Sanskrit) is anything that has no soul or life, the polar opposite of " jīva" (soul). Because ''ajiva'' has no life, it does not accumulate ''karma'' and cannot die. Examples of ajiva include chairs, computers, paper, plastic, etc.

Five categories of Ajiva

In Jainism, there are five categories which ''ajīva'' can be placed into. Out of these, four categories, ''Dharma'' (medium of motion), ''Adharma'' (medium of rest), ''Akasha'' (space) and '' Pudgala'' (matter) are described as the ''asti-kaya dravya's'' (substances which possess constituent parts extending in space) while the fifth category ''Kala'' is an ''anasti-kaya dravya'' (which has no extension in space).

Dharma-Astikaya

Dharmastikaya is formed from the two words: Dharma & Astikaya. Dharma here isn't referring to religion, but instead its referring to the medium of motion. Astikay itself is formed of two words: Asti & Kaya. Asti means space, body or mode and Kaya means collection. So Astikaya means a collection of spaces or regions. Dharmastikaya denotes the medium of motion for things in the universe. In the absence of this medium, living things (i.e. jiva) would not be able to move.

Adharma-Astikaya

Adharmastikaya is also formed from two words: Adharma & Astikaya. Adharma in this case means the
medium of rest. In the absence of this medium, Living things or jiva would continuously move.

Ākāśa -Astikaya

The infinity of space, called ''ākāśa'' in Sanskrit, is divided by the Jain philosophy into two parts, namely, the ''lokākāśa'' (loka+ākāśa), that is the space occupied by the universe, and the ''alokākāśa'' (a not, and lokākāśa), the portion beyond the universe. The ''lokākāśa'' is the portion in which are to be found the remaining five substances, i.e., ''Jīvas'', Matter, Time, Dharma and Adharma; but the ''alokākāśa'' is the region of pure space containing no other substance and lying stretched on all sides beyond bounds of the three worlds (the entire universe). At the summit of the ''lokākāśa'' is the '' Siddhashila'' (abode of the liberated souls).

Pudgala-Astikaya

The word Pudgala is made up of two terms: ''Pud'' means supplement (integration) and ''Gala'' means disintegration (division). In other words, what continuously changes by supplementation and/or division (''purayanti galanti cha'') is called Pudgala or matter. All matter in the universe is called Pudgala. Pudgala has form and shape. Pudgala can be experienced by touching, tasting, smelling, or seeing. Like Jiva Pudgala is also mobile. According to Jainism, The karma particles that attach to our souls are also Pudgala. Pudgala can only be divided and subdivided to a certain extent that it is not possible to further subdivide it. This indivisible part of Pudgala, which is separated from the main pudgala, is called Paramanu. A paramanu is much more minute than even an atom. When a Paramanu is attached to the main pudgala, it is called a Pradesha. These subatomic Paramanus are too minute to be detected by normal vision, but they can be combined. Thus when a paramanu is combined with one or more other paramanus, they are called a skandha which are more or less like a molecules. Part of skandha is called desha. Such skandhas may be large or small. Small skandhas may be invisible to the eye, but they can be seen when the combinations are larger.

Kala

Kala refers to time that brings forth changes. Past, present, and future are the different modes of time and are measured in terms of years, months, days, hours, minutes or seconds. For practical purposes a second happens to be the finest measurement of time. Jainism however, recognizes a very small measurement of time known as ''samaya'' which is an infinitely small part of a second.

''Kala'' (time) is infinite, but there are cycles (''kalachakra''s) in it. Each cycle having two eras of equal duration described as the '' avasarpini'' and the ''utsarpini''. The former is a descending era in which virtue gradually decreases. The latter is an ascending era in which the reverse takes place. The present era is stated to be the former.Hiriyanna, M. (1993, reprint 2000). ''Outlines of Indian Philosophy'', Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, , pp.159-60

Indivisible time = 1 Samaya (smallest unit of measurement)

Countless Samayas = 1 Avalika

16,777,216 Avalikas = 1 Muhurt (48 minutes)

30 Muhurtas = 1 day and night

15 Days and nights = 1 Paksha

2 Pakshas = 1 Month

12 Months = 1 Year

Countless years = 1 Palyopam

1,000,000,000,000,000 (one quintillion) Palyopams = 1 Sagaropam; one quintillion is 1,000,000,000,000,000,000

1,000,000,000,000,000 Sagaropams = 1 Utsarpini or Avasarpini

1 Utsarpini or Avasarpini = 1 Kalchakra (One time cycle)

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Jain philosophical concepts

it:Giainismo#Ajiva