SearchBrowseAboutContactDonate
Page Preview
Page 110
Loading...
Download File
Download File
Page Text
________________ SUTRAS THE KEY TO THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE 109 SUTRA 21 HAYRuutsafergaar our || 29 | Bhava pratyayo avadhir deva narakanam (21) In the inhabitants of celestial and nether regions48 extrasensory perception (avadhi) is inborn. (21) The inhabitants of regions with celestial character (devas) are beings, who by their own activities and desires attracted a type of positive karma that caused their embodiment in these regions. The bodies and life-circumstances of devas support their deep desire for happiness, unrestricted movement, health, supernatural abilities, stressfree communication, freedom from sorrow, fear etc. Since the 'celestial' regions are inhabited by beings of similar disposition, these desires can be satisfied without being disturbed by beings with different objectives in life.49 48 The Tattvarthasutra distinguishes four classes of beings: 1 - devas - beings residing in regions of celestial character 2 - narakas - beings residing in regions of hellish character 3 - human beings 4 - animals and plants. For someone born and raised in the Western cultural environment this division - and specially the first two classes - may promptly be relegated to the area of religious fable or to a rather sir higher instance of merit and punishment. Yet this type of mystical context is not meant here. The statement refers to the comprehensive classification of life-forms that is described in great detail in chapter 3,4 and 5 of the Tattvarthasutra. Western science - which presently influences most of our ideas of life - is not interested in these areas, does not examine them and there fore cannot seriously state anything about them. 49 In spite of all their - from the human point of view - extraordinary abilities, devas are not free from karma. Negative karma that might oppose the life-circumstances of devas has only receded into its latent Jain Education International For Personal & Private Use Only www.jainelibrary.org
SR No.006912
Book TitleKey to Center of Universe
Original Sutra AuthorN/A
AuthorHermann Kuhn
PublisherCrosswind Publishing Germany
Publication Year
Total Pages202
LanguageEnglish
ClassificationBook_English & Tattvartha Sutra
File Size15 MB
Copyright © Jain Education International. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy