Concept of Matter in Jaina Philosophy

SR No.: 001663
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: J C Sikdar
Publisher: P V Research Institute Varanasi
Publication Year: 1987
Total Pages: 412
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Philosophy, & Physics
File Size: 23 MB

Page 223

The Concept of Matter in Jaina Philosophy
nigoda) by the operation of the common-body-making karma. They are of two kinds, viz. gross and fine (badara and sūkṣma).1 In that common body when a soul dies, there takes place the death of infinite souls (with it) and when one is born, there -occurs the birth of infinite souls in it.2 In one human breath (respiration) a soul existing in a nigoda body takes birth and dies a little more than seventeen times.3 The maximum period for the existence of a nigoda sarira is stated to be innumerable crore multiplied by crore sagaras. The body of group-souled vegetables (bādaranigodas) are innumerable times more than the spatial units of the Universe.4
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Trasakaya (Body of mobile beings)
All the bodies of the mobile beings are called trasakāya. Those souls which exist in the Universe with two, three, four or five senses should be known as mobile-bodied.5
Sarira (Gross organic Body), Vak (Organs of Speech), Manas (Mind) and Praṇāpāna (Respiration)
Matter forms the physical basis of the organic body, the organs of speech, mind and respiration of beings. Forms of Matter are necessarily the auxiliary causes in the formation of body, etc; they also affect each other. There are stated to 1. Sahāranodayeṇa nigodasarīrā havaṁti Te puna duvihā jiva badarasuhumatti vinneya, GS, JIva., 191;
Ni-niyatām gāṁ bhūmim, kṣetraṁ, nivāsamanantanantajīvānāṁ dadāt ti nigodam (That, which is always, is thesea body of infinite souls is called Nigoda).
2. Jatthekam marai jIvo tattha du maranam have aṇaṁtānam Vakkama jattha ekko vakkamaṇam tatthāṇaṁtānaṁ, GS., Jiva, 193.
3. Ibid.
4. Vihi tihi caduhi paṁcaha sahiya je im diehi loyāmhi Te tasakāyā jīvā ņeyā vīrobadasena, GS., Jiva. 198.
5. BhS., 24, 17-21 708-712; TS., V. 19.
6. GS., Jfva, m 606.
7. BhS., 25.4. 738; Audarikavaikriyikāhārakataijasakārmaṇāni śarīrāņi, TS., ch. II. 37, p. 195, See its Bhasya.