Source Book in Jaina Philosophy

SR No.: 001263
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Devendramuni
Publisher: Tarak Guru Jain Granthalay
Publication Year: 1983
Total Pages: 590
Language: English
Classification: Book_English & Philosophy
File Size: 10 MB

Page 196

A SOURCE-BOOK IN JAINA PHILOSOPHY
175 Prāyogika—The production of the sound in this form is possible due to efforts and these efforts are of two types—due to speech and due to efforts without speech. (1) Bhāşātmaka expresses some meaning. Therefore, it is called arthapratipādaka vāņi. (2) Abhāṣātmaka does not convey any meaning. Abhāṣātmaka sound is of four types-- (i) tata, (ii) vitata, (iii) ghana, (iv) saușira.
The tata form of sound is produced by a musical instrument made of leather (carma) like mrdanga, pațaha etc. The vitata sound is produced by musical instrument having streams, like-vīņā. The ghana type of sound is produced by musical instruments like tāla, bell etc. And saușira form of sound is produced by musical instruments which are to be blown through mouth, e. 8., conch (śankha), flute, etc. 1
The vaisrasika sabda is all sounds produced without any effort on the part of an individual, for instance, the thunder of the clouds is vaisrasika sound.
An individual grasps a sound and communicates it through language. The moment it is communicated through sound to other individuals, it passes on to other individuals. The sound so produced spreads in the ākāśu and the waves of the sound travel throughout space. If the intensity of the sound produced is low, the sound travels like the waves of the water for quite sometime for several yojanas and then the waves of the sound fade away. If the intensity of the sound produced is high, the waves of the sound travel to farther distances even upto the end of the world.
The sound that we hear spoken by a particular person is not the original word of the person speaking. It is the sound waves that travels through ākāśa in the form of sabda. The sound waves so produced spread in all the six directions-east, west, north, south, up and down.
If the waves of the sound spread in even combination (samaśreni) then we hear the miśra sabda (combined). It implies that we hear the
1. (a) Tattvārtharājavärttika, 5, 24, 2-6.
(b) Sarvārthasiddhi, 5, 24.
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