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'A. CHAKRAVARTI :
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scholars like S. Vaiyapuri Pillai' infer that the author of Tolkāppiyam was a Jaina by religion. The same author strengthens his conclusion by quoting the sūtrasa from Tolkāppiyam referring to the classification of jivas according to the sense-organs possessed by the jīvas. In the section called Marabiyal, Tolkāppiyam speaks of jīvas with one sense, such as grass and trees, jīvas with two senses such as snails, jīvas with three senses such as ants, jīvas with four senses such as crabs and jīvas of five senses, such as higher animals and jīvas with six senses such as human beings. It is not necessary for me to point out and emphasise the fact that this forms a philosophical doctrine of Jaina thought. This classification of jivas is found in all the important Jaina philosophical works both in Sanskrit and Tamil. Works, such as Mērumandirapurāņam and Nilakēsi, two of the important Jaina philosophical works, contain description of jivas in this manner. It is but natural to conclude that this refers to the Jaina conception of life, and it goes without saying that the author was well-versed in Jaina philosophy. There is one other fact, not noticed by the research students, which must also be considered as an important evidence in favour of this conclusion.
1. Sentamil, Vol. XVIII (1919-20), p. 339; S. Vaiyapuri Pillai : op. cit., pp. 7-11. Also see M. S. Ramaswami Ayyangar: op. cit., p. 39, footnote 3.
2. The sūtras quoted by Vaiyapuri Pillai are Marabiyal, 27-33.
3. Mērumandira Purāņam, Vaccirāyudanaņuttam, 10, 11 ; Neelakesi (Ed. by A. Chakravarti, 1936), p. 139.
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