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## First Understanding: Description of Earth-bodied Beings
[51] These subtle earth-bodied beings are not born from gods or hell beings. They are only born from animals and humans, therefore these beings are of two origins. / These subtle earth-bodied beings are all-bodied, countless in number, as vast as the space of the universe. This is how all the Tirthankaras have declared it.
Samanauso - O Shraman! O Ayushman! Addressing the inquisitive disciples in this way, Lord Mahavira explained the nature of subtle earth-bodied beings.
What are the subtle earth-bodied beings? Subtle earth-bodied beings are of two types - as follows: smooth (soft) subtle earth-bodied beings and rough subtle earth-bodied beings.
[14] What are the smooth subtle earth-bodied beings? Smooth subtle earth-bodied beings are of seven types - as follows: those who are born in the womb, those who are born from eggs, those who are born from moisture, those who are born from heat, those who are born from decay, those who are born from seeds, and those who are born from the union of two.
[15] What are the rough subtle earth-bodied beings? Rough subtle earth-bodied beings are of two types - as follows: those who are born from the womb and those who are not born from the womb.
Bante! How many types of bodies do beings have? Gotama! There are three types of bodies - as follows: those who have a body made of earth, those who have a body made of water, and those who have a body made of karma.
And also, there are four types of bodies, the remaining ones, like the subtle earth-bodied beings, from the food they eat to the six types of rules.
The attention of the animal, human, god, and god-like beings, from the god-like beings to the Sohammesha, is fixed on the world. In this way, the lifespan of the beings is thousands of years, with the help of the great food.
Bante! Do beings die with awareness or without awareness? Gotama! They die with awareness and also without awareness.
Bante! Where do beings go after they die? Where are they reborn? Are they reborn in hell? Ask. They are not reborn in hell, they are reborn in the animal realm, they are reborn as humans, they are not reborn as gods, and also, they are reborn in countless worlds.
Bante! How many types of destinies and origins do beings have? Gotama! Two destinies, three origins, and countless others, Samanauso! This is the subtle earth-bodied being.
This is the earth-bodied being.