Jaina Culture

SR No.: 011051
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Mohanlal Mehta
Publisher: P V Research Institute Varanasi
Publication Year: 2002
Total Pages: 162
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 10 MB

Page 112

TRANSMIGRATION
103
with membranuous wings, those with feathered wings, those with wings in the shape of a box and those which sit on outspread wings. The five-sensed animal beings are either with the faculty of reasoning (sañiñin) or without that faculty (asaññin). Those which do not possess the faculty of reasoning, act in accordance with their instincts. Deceit and fraud produce the karma that causes birth in the animal state of existence. Celestial Beings :
Celestial beings are born in special beds (box-beds). They possess transformable body; roam freely and derive pleasure in several parts of the terrestrial world, the mountains and the oceans surrounding them. They are endowed with magnificence, splendour and extraordinary powers. There are four classes of celestial beings: Residential (Bhavanavāsin), Peripatetic (Vyantara), Stellar (Jyotişka) and Heavenly (Vaimānika). These four classes are of ten, eight, five and twelve sub-classes respectively. The twelve sub-classes of the Heavenly beings do not include all the gods. Only the Kalpopapannas (those born in the Kalpas) are included in them. (Those heavens in which the ten gradės, viz., the lord, his .equals etc. prevail are called Kalpas. Since these grades are not prevalent in the celestial regions beyond the Kalpas, those born in such heavens are called Kalpātītas). Each of these sub-classes of celestial beings consists of ten grades: the lord (Indra), his equals (Sámānikas), ministers (Trāyastrimśas), courtiers (Pārişadas), bodyguards (Ātmarakşas), police (Lokapālas), army (Anska), citizens (Prakirpakas), servants (Abhiyogyas) and menials (Kilvişikas). The Peripatetic and the Stellar gods are without ministers and police. The Residential and the Peripatetic gods have two lords. The Residential gods and others up to those in the Aiśāna Kalpa enjoy sexual pleasure like human beings. In the Sanatkumara and Mahendra Kalpas, gods derive the highest pleasure by mere touch of the body