UPSC Prelims 2023 · Question 7 of 97
UPSC Prelims 2023 question on Jainism Souls in Nature
- ExamUPSC CSE
- Year2023
- PaperGeneral Studies Paper I
- SubjectArt and Culture
- TopicBuddhism and Jainism
- DifficultyEasy
- TypeDirect
"Souls are not only the property of animal and plant life, but also of rocks, running water and many other natural objects not looked on as living by other religious sects."
The above statement reflects one of the core beliefs of which one of the following religious sects of ancient India?
Show answer
Answer: B. Jainism
Verdict
Correct answer: Jainism → Option (b).
Analysis
Jainism holds that every atom has a soul but it is not Jiva, because they do not have sense organs. The soul is both permanent and changing.
Based on extension, Jainism divides substance into two classes: those that are extended in space and those that are not.
Although Jainism recognizes souls, it rejects the notion of an ultimate, universal soul.
This belief that souls exist in rocks, running water, and natural objects is a core tenet of Jainism.