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 409

Definition of Living :
387
have two disquisition doors of 'instincts' and 'minded or brained'. This suggests the living beings with instincts but without mind. A large number of dialogues contained in Dhavalā and Rājavārttika-275 suggest similar questions - a man would ask today - as were asked 1100 years ago. Pujyapāda also clarifies this difference in meaning of these terms because of numerous meaningness of words pointing out flaws of theoretical over-extension in meanings other than 'mindedness 76 for the term 'sañjni'. However, with current experimental verifications as pointed out by Lodha'l. the responses to the instinctiveness and mindedness of 1-sensed and deficientsensed living beings in Dhavalā and Pañcāstikāya commentary become subject to better elaboration. Pañcāstikāya commentator mentions that the living beings other than 5-sensed ones have specific types of destruction-cum-subsidential mind rather than general 8. Similarly, the quality of experiencing the sensitivity of colour etc. by deficient-sensed ones is different from that of the 5-sensed ones. In Jainism, mind has a separate existence and it is not found in 1-sensed and deficient-sensed ones as per naturally valid canons. The absence of mind in them is not contradicted by direct proof as it is imperceptible by senses. The existence of verbal knowledge in these living beings can also not prove the existence of mind as it could be found even in plants (which are devoid of mind ) and it is not only sound-originated but non-verbal also. Thus, the later scholars do feel that non-5-sensed beings have the limited functions of mind-non-verbal knowledge and functioning towards beneficiary activities and aversion towards undesirables. Akalanka has given surprising answer to this problem. He maintains that these are the spiritualised senses in non-5sensed living beings which are responsible for their activities associated with mental functions79. He feels such senses have capacities to experience pains and pleasures as found in these beings.
Lodhaľo has discussed how scientific experiments