What is Jainism

SR No.: 006714
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Champat Rai Jain
Publisher: Champat Rai Jain
Total Pages: 210
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 11 MB

Page 161

AHIMSA
151
In addition to their appropriate or specific senses, all living beings possess three kinds of forces of life, namely, ayuh,* bodily strength and the power of breathing. The power of communicating with others, which in the higher grades of life assumes the form of speech, is enjoyed by the two-sensed and other higher types, while the mind is a distinguishing feature of the five-sensed type alone, though all beings belonging to that class are not endowed with it. These ten kinds of forces-the five senses, ayuh, bodily strength, breathing, speech and the mind-are called (the ten) pranaṣ.
Now, all the five kinds of living beings are souls capable of feeling pain, though not always in anticipation of injury; for that is felt only by those of the fifth class who evolve out a mind-men, monkeys, dogs and the like. All kinds of living beings, however, possess the two inner bodies termed the karmana and the taijasa sariras, whose separation from the body of gross matter is called death-a painful process at all times, and more so when the bodies are separated by force of external violence. Pain is also felt by all kinds of living beings when their limbs are cut, pierced, torn asunder or otherwise mutilated.
Himsa is the causing of pain to another, and includes all kinds of acts calculated to interfere with one's enjoyment of life or freedom in respect of one's pranas.
The following table will enable us to form a general idea of its main types at a glance :
* Duration of life.