Agam 05 Ang 05 Bhagvati Vyakhya Prajnapti Sutra Bhagvai Terapanth

Author(s): Tulsi Acharya, Nathmalmuni
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati

Page 35

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The importance of the present Āgama may well be understood by the aforesaid indications. Different branches of modern science have recently brought to light many mysteries. When we go into the depths of the present Agama, we find that these mysteries had been revealed some 2500 years before.
Lord Mahavira has enumerated six groups of living-beings (Jivas). The living beings of the Trasa-kāya(mobile beings)group are self-evident. The living beings of the fioral group (Vanaspati nikaya) are supported by the modern Science also. The four groups of living beings—the earth. the water, the fire, and the air have not been accepted by the modern science. Lord Mahavira has not only cited the existence of the earth living-beings etc., but thrown enough light on their life span, food habits, breathing, evolution of consciousness, perceptions etc. also. The minimum span of life of the living beings of the earth group is of a Antar Muhrat only and the maximum of twenty two thousand years. They do not have a particular order of breath period. Sometimes it is less and sometimes more. They aspire every moment for food and take it. The consciousness of the touch-organ is quite distinct in them, The other currents of consciousness are indistinct.
As man takes in oxygen in his breath-period, the living-beings of the earth group not only take in air, but the Pudgalas (matter) of all the earth, the water, the fire, the air and the flora.
Like the earth living beings, the other living-beings of the water etc do breathe and take food etc. Modern science has studied the different aspects of the floral living beings and thrown light on their mysteries, but sufficient rescarch has not been carried out on the earth living beings. Flora expresses anger and affection. The affectionate behaviour blooms it and the hateful behaviour fades it away. These scientific experiments lead us to the maxim of lord Mahavira that there is ten fold consciousness in the floralworld.
These ten folds are-Food consciousness, fear consciousness, co-habita. tion consciousness, hoarding consciousness, anger consciousness, ego consciousness, deceit consciousness, greed consciousness, Augha' consciousness and world consciousness. Having these folds of consciousness the floral world behaves indistinctly the same way as man does distinctly.
1. Bhagawai, 1-1-32, page 9. 2. Bhagawai, 9-34-253, 254, page 464,