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64
Tattvarthasutra
[2. 26-31]
What is called movement (yoga). With this intention, it is said in the sutra that the karmic movement is necessary. In essence, the being moving in a curved path cannot reach a new location merely through efforts generated from the previous body; this requires a new effort achievable only through the karmic (subtle) body, since at that moment there is no other gross body. Due to the absence of a gross body, there are also no mental or verbal efforts. 26.
The law of movement—there are only two moving substances: living beings and matter (pudgala). Both possess the power of movement, which is why they begin to move as a result of external causes. Even if they move in a curved path due to external conditions, their inherent movement is always straight. The meaning of straight movement is that the being or atom moves from the initial position to any place within the same spatial region in a straight line, whether upward, downward, or diagonally. Based on this inherent movement, the sutra states that movement follows a sequence. The term sequence refers to the straight line that is the proof of the previous position within space. This description of inherent movement indicates that when there is an obstructive cause, then living beings or matter deviate from the straight line to follow a curved path. In summary, the movement of dynamic substances occurs in a straight line when there are no obstructive causes and can also occur in a curved line when obstructive causes exist. 27.
The types of movement were previously mentioned; movement can be of two types: straight (ṛju) and curved (vakra). Straight movement is that in which there is no deviation from a straight line from the initial position to the new position, meaning there is not even a single turn. Curved movement is that in which there is a deviation from the straight line from the initial position to the new position, meaning there must be at least one turn. Furthermore, it has been stated that both living beings and matter are qualified for these two types of movement. Here, the primary question pertains to living beings. There are two types of living beings that move from one place to another after leaving their previous body. One type is those who leave both gross and subtle bodies forever; these beings are called मुच्यमान (mucyamana—attaining liberation). The other type is those who, after leaving the previous gross body, acquire a new gross body. During the time of movement in the interval, these beings are necessarily enveloped by the subtle body. These beings are called worldly (sansari). Mucyamana beings reach the determined place of liberation only through straight movement, not through curved movement, because they are established in the place of liberation that has a straight line from the previous position, without any deviation whatsoever. However, there is no specific rule governing the place of origin for worldly beings. Sometimes the new place of birth they need to occupy is in the same region.