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Jaina Theory of Production of Sound and Evolution of Language
Jaina scriptures often adopt the question-answer method for the exposition of a subject. They treat 'language' in the same way. Questions are put by Gautama ganadhara to the Tirthankara Mahāvīra who answers them. The questions are
i) Bhāṣā ņam bhante! kimādīyā,
ii)
iii)
Dr. R.P. Poddar*
ii)
Where lies the beginning of the language?
Kim pavahā,
From where is it produced?
iv) Kim pajjavasiyā,
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Kim saṇṭhiyā,
What is it shaped like?
The answers are
i)
Where does it come to an end?
Bhāṣā ņam jīvādīyā,
Language begins with the jīva, the principle of life.
sarīrappabhavā,
It is produced from the body.
iii) vajjasanthiyā,
It is shaped like vajra-narrow in the middle and spreading out towards the ends; in Jaina metaphysics the cosmos is supposed to be of this shape, roughly like that of a man standing akimbo with the legs wide apart.
* Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Pune -4.
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