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etc. which had already been treated in XI 1-8. Moreover, since XX 10 3 deals with beings that enter another stage of existence simultaneously and simultaneity of rebirths in the vegetal world is also expressly insisted upon in XXI-XXIII, one might easily jump to the conclusion that here we have the reason why XXIXXIII were added to XX. However, we shall have to reconsider the meaning of these facts in $ 7.
A typical feature of these sayas is their subdivision into vaggas. Vagga-texts first extensively discuss some particular subject, then treat a number of related subjects in a very much abbreviated way scil. only note the necessary changes by means of catchwords. This vagga-style is well known from the narrative clichés in Nāy. 2nd śrutaskandha, Antag., Anutt. and Nirayāvaliyāsuyakkhandha (Uvangas 8-12).8 Viy. XXI-XXIII is the only place in the canon where it was adapted to the treatment of a doctrinal subject.
§ 5. XXIV is a further addition to XXI-XXIII and enlarges upon the topic rebirth by taking into account all of the twentyfour kinds of beings (hence 24 udd.'), among which also figure the plants already treated in XXI-XXIII.
$ 6. XXVI-XLI, considered as a whole, is an application of the Jaina method of quaternary arithmetic to the enormous doctrinal field of rebirth. Other applications of the same method are found in XVIII 42-3, XXV 33-5.6, 41-3.7. XXXI 12 links with the saya that precedes the whole group by referring to XXV 8.
In fact the discussion starts from the theory of 'small numbers' (khudda-jumma, XXXI 1?) the definition of which is identical with that of '[simple] numbers' (jumma = rāsī, XVIII 43). Rebirth then consists (cf. Pannav. 6 to which XXXI 12 refers) of uvavāya and uvvattaņā, the latter term signifying the rising
8 See, on vagga, Introduction par. 6 of the AUTHOR's ed. of Nir., p. 83 seqq.
9 One cannot but notice the curious way of giving a chapter a number of subdivisions equal to its serial number: XVII has seventeen and XXIV has twenty-four udd.; XXVI-XXX discuss eleven kinds of beings (11 udd.) from eleven points of view. Likewise Uvanga 12, though a dasā, has twelve ajjhayaņas. I do not think these are mere coincidences.
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