Scientific Contents in Prakrta Canons

SR No.: 001670
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: N L Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith
Publication Year: 1996
Total Pages: 608
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Science, & Religion
File Size: 9 MB

Page 227

Jaina Theory of Skandhas or Aggregations : 205
growth and development50. Their internal heat, hardness or adhesiveness has been taken as sign of their livingness. However, they turn non-living by heating, solution, cutting or weapon operation. We shall describe them as in canons. The Earth
The earth, representing the class of solids, is characterised by different degrees of hardness. It has valuables under and over it. Acäränga51 and Mūlācāra 52 have classified the earth in the first instance followed by others later. The canonical description is based on its assumption of being one-sensed living one. Though canons do not have it but Pujyapada53 has classified it in four categories of (i) earth, (ii) earth-body, (iii) embodied earth and (iv) would-be living earth. Similar classification exists for other aggregatal forms like water, etc. Out of them, the first and second are clearly non-living, the third has been called living, because of its being substratum for living entities. The fourth variety also seems to be living system about which no tangible clarification is available. No other realistic system agrees to livingness of the earth in any way. Currently, it is debatable whether living characteristics apply to earth as a class. However, it has been shown to have many types.
It has been observed that a number of older canons and pro-canons do not have much details about the earth. However, the earliest mention of some of its varieties are traceable in Acārānga and Daśavaikālika54 (i. e. about 427 B. C.). They mention four types of earths-rocks, lumps, stones and sands. Later on, these types have been expanded. Scriptures have mentioned its two broad types - soft and hard. The soft one has five or seven-coloured varieties as shown in Prajñāpanā 55 (P) and Acārānga-niryukti (A. N. ). They are as below : Red, Green, Yellow, White, Black-coloured earths.
(A. N.)
Red, Green, Yellow, White, Black, Pale-white (Pandu) and algae (panak) earths (P).