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 413

Definition of Living :
391
real sense. They are invisible because of fineness and therefore sense-imperceptibility or non-materiality of the living in contrast with the visible part of the gross matter. It is also said that the living one is partless but even a single part is made up of innumerable space-points. These represent its approximate size or extension. The space-points of the living belong to two categories – fixed and movable82. It is said that there are eight central space-points in a single living unit which are fixed. Others are movable during expansion or contraction by extirpation or interpenetration.
It has also been pointed out that the living one always resides in a body in the world. Hence, its size or extension depends on the size of the body. This extension applies only to Jiva - the worldly living due to karmic particles associated with it. The pure living unit might be devoid of extension and therefore, a non-existent reality as Jain83 has pointed out.
The real spacepoint nature and extension of the living extends to the idea about the property of weight. Because of its extreme fineness, it must have negligible weight, empirically said to be weightless. Jain84 has indicated the inverse relationship between extension and density which is its necessary accompaniment, pointing out indirectly the low density and hence finest weight of the basic living reality. Table 8: General and Specific Definitions/properties of Living. No. Source General
Specific 1 2 1. Bhagavati 23 ( with 7 repeatitions, -
Table 2) 2. Kundakunda 17 ( Table 2) 3. Umāsvāti (a) Existentiality (a) Five thought
(permanence through activities change )