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Biology in Jaina Treatise on Reals
Sparsana-rasana-ghrāņa-cakşuh-šrotrāņi 2.19 The touch, taste, smell, sight and hearing are the five senses.
The senses of touch etc. are instrumental as they are dependant on soul. The soul is independent. It is said, 'I see well with the eyes or I hear clearly with the ears'. Thus, on the destruction-cum-subsidence of energy- obstructing karma and the prescribed sense-obscuring karma and by the realisation of physiquemaking karma of limbs and minor limbs, those through which the soul experiences the touch, taste, smell, sight and hearing are the senses of touch, taste, smell, sight and hearing respectively. 2. Q. Some include the word 'Indriyani' (senses) in this aphorism. A.
This is not correct. This term is applied here form the earlier aphorism
This is no 2.15 with reference to the context. Hence, the additional term is not necessary. 3. The sense of touch has been placed first in 2.19 as it is pervasive of the whole body of the individual. 4. It is also mentioned in the aphorism 2.21 indicating the first sense in the plants which means the sense of touch only. 5. Thirdly, it is found in all the wordly beings. Hence, it is pervasive in all the living beings. 6. The senses of taste, smell and sight are placed next in order because they are gradually smaller and smaller. The spacepoints of the eye are the smallest in number. The spacepoints of the sense of hearing are numberable times that of eye. The spacepoints of nose (sense of smell) are somewhat more than this. The spacepoints of tongue are innumerable times more than the sense of smell and the spacepoints of the sense of touch are infinite times more than other senses. Q. It this is so, the sense of sight should be placed in the end because it has the smallest number of spacepoints. 7. A. Though this is correct, still the sense of hearing has been placed at the end because it is highly serving the living beings. One listens about the good and bad aspects through them and moves towards the good. 8. Q. The sense of taste is also very beneficient as it has a vocal nature. It functions to express about physical and spiritual prosperity and helps teaching and studies. Thus, it should be placed in the end like the ears. A. This is not correct. The disputant has agreed to the beneficience of the sense of hearing along with the sense of taste. How, otherwise, this sense could be very beneficial ?
Secondly, the sense of taste or tongue functions for speech after one listens the sermons through the sense of hearing. Thus, this sense is more beneficient. 10. Q. The omniscients do not have vocal activity based on hearing. They have speech due to the sense of taste or tongue only because of para-sensual
9.
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