Ahimsa the Science of Peace

Author(s): Surendra Bothra
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

Page 57

When dealing with life forms, their pleasures and pains, a sense of degree and quality of life comes into play. While elaborating Ahimsa, the Jain thinkers have done detailed study of full spectrum of living organisms and classified them on the basis of physical faculties. This classification starts with two broad divisions: Sthavar' and Tras. The traditionally accepted definitions of these categories are:
Sthavar Jiva: (Immobile beings): This category covers all those organisms that have no mobility. All this type of beings are one-sensed beings having the sense of touch. These have been further divided into five categories according to their living media. The five categories are: Prithvikaya (Earth forms), Apkaya (Aqueous forms), Teukaya (Fire forms), Vayukaya (Air forms) and Vanaspatikaya (Plant forms). Every one of these forms has two types according to the size; micro and macro.
1. A Sanskrit-English Dictionary by sir Monier Monier-Williams mentions:
STHAVARA, mf (a) n: standing still, not moving, fixed, stationary, stable, immovable, (Taittiriya Samhita, etc. etc.); firm. constant, permanent, invariable, (Apastamba's Dharma Sutra, Ramayana, Harivamsa); regular, established, (Wilson); vegetable, belonging to vegetable world, (Susruta); relating to immovable property, (Yajnavalkya); a mountain (Bhagvadgita, Kumar Sambhava).
Paia-sadda-mahannavo by Pt. Hargovind Das Seth, a dictionary of Prakrit language mentions:
Thavar (Sthavar): 1. That which is or remains Sthira, 2. One sensed being having only the sense of touch, life forms of earth, water plant etc. Sthira as mentioned in Monier-Williams:
STHIRA, mf (a) n: firm. Lard. compact, strong, (Rig Veda etc.) fixed, immovable, motionless, still, calm, (Satpath Brahman, Mahabharata etc); firm, not wavering or tottering, steady, (Ramayana, Varaha-Mihir Brihat Samhita); unfluctuating, durable, lasting, permanent, changeless, (Rig Veda etc.).
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