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COMPENDIUM OF JAINISM
explained thus: brown-red indicates sensuality and greed; grey-green indicates deceit and cunning; brown indicates selfishness; scarlet on left of head indicates anger; yellow round the head indicates intelligence; grey-blue above the head indicates primitive religious feeling...; touches of deep rose colour indicate beginnig of love. As evolution goes on, the matter becomes finer and the colours clearer, purer and more brilliant..; In a developed astral body, green indicates sympathy and adaptability; rose indicates love; blue indicates religious feeling; yellow indicates intelligence; violet above head indicates spirituality. 16
It is possible to interpret the Lesya theory in terms of modern psychology, especially of parapsychology. The bhāva leśyā has a psychological significance. It is an aura created round the soul due to psychic effects and yoga. It is dependent upon the activity of the mind. The six primary colours are effects of the Karmic influx arising out of mental states and events. Every psychosis brings some after-effects which are both physical and psychic. It is possible to show, by proper analysis and investigation, that psychic phenomena exist and are detectable.17
In passing, I may mention that some scholars have opined that Mahavira borrowed this doctrine of Lesya from Gosāla. There is no substance in this view. The Karma doctrine is an integral part of Jainism; it has been developed by the Jainas on a scientific basis and forms the very backbone of Lesya. It is a question of inheritance of common idea current in the Śramana schools.
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