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 224

Effects of Matter
189)
be five kinds of body of the worldly beings, 1 viz. audārika-- śarsra, vaikriyikaśarīra, āhärakaśarira, taijasaśarīra and kārmaņaśartra. (1) That which is born from the womb of mother is called audārikaśarīra (organic body of men and animals), (2) That which is possessed by the celestical beings. or infernal beings, invisible to the sense of vision and capable of transformation in shape or size is called vaikriyikaśarira. (transformation body), (3) A subtle body which is developed. by the highly spiritual yogins and can be thrown or impelled to great distances on special occasions is called āhārakaśarfra, (4) Taijasaśartra is an electric or luminous body the existence of which has been established by the scientific experiments, (5) Kārmaņaśarīra is the inner subtle body which forms the basis, of all mental and physical activities. It corresponds to the lingaśarira (subtle body) of the Samkhya Philosophy. 11 accompanies Soul from birth to birth and it keeps Soul bound to the confines of the Universe because of the gravitational forces of matter encircling it on all sides. On the destruction of Karma-pudgala (karmic matter), Soul as a perfect eternal! substance moves on fast with an impulse to the Siddhasila and exists there in its perfect state by attaining liberation.
Only the audārikaśarīra (organic body), is perceptible to the senses, as it is gross, whereas the other four are the subtle bodies; the one is subtler than the other by a gradual order, 2 but they are all corporeal.3 The first one is gross. The transforniable body is finer than the gross one, the translocation-body is still finer than the trasformable one. The luminous or electric body is still finer than the translocation or projectable body.And the karmic body4 is still finer than the luminous or elec1. Bhs., 25. 4. 738; TS., II. 37. 2. Paraṁ fara í sūksmam, TS., 2. 38. 3. Ibid. 4. Teşāmāudārikādiśarīrāņāṁ paraṁ paraṁ sūkşmam
veditavyam tadyathā audārikādvaikriyar sūkşmam vaikriyādāhārakaṁ āhārakāttaijasam taijasātkārmaņamititi: TS., Bhā., 2. 38.