Tattvartha Sutra

SR No.: 006796
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Sukhlal Sanghavi, K K Dixit
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 2000
Total Pages: 596
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Tattvartha Sutra, & Tattvarth
File Size: 10 MB

Page 274

CHAPTER TWO
101
curved types of motion. Another name for straight motion is isugati (lit. arrow-like motion), for it is straight on account of the momentum produced by the earlier body just like the motion of an arrow impelled by the momentum imparted to it by a bow. Three names for curved motion are pāņimuktā, lāngalikā, gomūtrikā'. The pāņimuktā is motion in which the straight line is broken but once, the langalikā that in which it is broken twice, gomūtrikā that in which it is broken thrice. In the case of a soul there is not possible such a curved motion as involves more than three turnings; for a soul's new place of rebirth-however out of śreni it might lie—that is, however curved might be the direction in which it lies—must be reached after three turnings at the most. So far as the curved motion of matter is concerned there is no rule as to the number of turnings possibly involved in it, for in that case this number is determined by the nature of the concerned impelling force. 28, 29.
The Duration of Motion :
The minimum duration of transmigratory motion is one samaya, its maximum duration is four samayas.
What has to be understood is that this duration is of one samaya when the motion concerned is straight while it is of two, three or four samayas when the motion concerned is curved. The increment in the number of samayas is determined by the increment in the number of the turnings involved. Thus the curved motion involving one turning is of a duration of two samayas, that involving two turnings is of a duration of three, that involving three turnings is of a duration of four. The idea is that when the new place of birth is to be reached by a motion involving one turning then one samaya is required for reaching the place of turning from that of earlier birth while another samaya is required for reaching the place of new birth from that of turning. This very rule implies that the motion involving two
1. The names pāņimuktā etc. are well current in the Digambara commentary texts.