Studies on Biology in Tattvartha Sutra

SR No.: 250326
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: N L Jain
Publisher: Z_Sumanmuni_Padmamaharshi_Granth_012027.pdf
Publication Year: 1999
Total Pages: 18
Language: English
Classification: Article, Jainism, Tattvartha Sutra, & Tattvarth
File Size: 2 MB

Page 2

Glory of Jain Culture
(two kinds of perception) and 'ideal atom' and 'Practical or real atom' (two kinds of atoms) thus serving dual purpose equivalence and maintainence of their own concepts3. The commentators of the texts have mostly used the term 'Soul' for 'Jiva' (living) and many - a - times, they have been interchangeably used to create some confusion in details as - later Soul becoming supreme, pure or auspicious soul. The soul, being non-material, is out of bounds of current biology atleast now. Hence this paper will deal with the living or impure soul which is described in Biology.
-
Soul = Living - (Karmic) body Living = Soul + body = Impure Soul = Jiva.
18
-
The living one is described in many spiritual texts in a highly degraded way to create psychological thrust for moving towards detachmental path. This trend may be one of the causes of detestation of religiosity among young people. However, the description shows fine observation power of the seers. But Tattvartha Sutra is free from this defect and it really serves as freedom formula for the living to move towards soulhood. The text is more realistic than many others of earlier or latter dates. Chaturvedi points out that there has been a period in the development of Indian thought when every physical system or entity (vitality, senses, mind) was spiritualised and got defined in terms of physical or psychical, real or ideal, alienable or non-alienable etc. Consequently, it became difficult to be understood by common man. This spiritualisation became instrumental in
cultivating individualism over socialism. This is the basic cause of our sad physical status today.
The biological sciences" deal with the canonical impure living beings of all types with respect to (1) the origin of life in general (2) characteristics of livingness (3) classification (4) external and internal details (5) working mechanism and (6) life cycle besides many other points. The Tattivartha Sutra and its commentaries also describe these points in terms of 40 disquistion doors. It is, therefore, interesting to compare and contrast the canonical and current knowledge on the basis of the data provided on both sides. It is observed, on comparison, that there is good correlation on many points in both cases on surfacial or gross level. However, when one goes into deeper, internal or functional mechanistic points, one finds a gap involving deficiency and discrepancies in almost all points. This contrast suggests the historical perspective and development of biological sciences between the current age and the age of T.S. It seems that the canonical contents of early christian era serve as historical mile stone for the life sciences of today. However, it is seen that biological sciences have added to some scriptural contents while posing some points for reconsideration or modification. They cannot, perhaps, be rejected like the astronomical contents therein.
Data
The date used in the study are taken from the original T.S., its commentaries7,8 Studies on Biology in Tattvartha Sutra (Formulae on Reals)