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Biology in Jaina Treatise on Reals
with the psychical scriptures involving thoughts, thinking and memory-based processes. 4. It must be pointed out that the scriptural objects of mind cover objects even known through clairvoyance and other knowledges. The only difference is that scriptural knowledge is indirect while these ones are direct. The mind is only instrumental in scriptural knowledge. 5. This aphorism 2.21 (and 2.20 also) has been composed to refute the Buddhist concepts of objectless character of the knowledge and its origin based on objects. These are infested with many insoluble flaws. The Jainas point out that objects are independent and mind and sense-organs are only director indirect instruments of knowing them scripturally, logically, experientially or sensorily.
The senses and their prescribed objects have been mentioned. Now, their ownership or possessors should be mentioned. The sense of touch is the first sense. The possessors of this sense are described in the aphorism 2.22.:
Vanaspatyantānām Ekam
2.22 There is (only) one (physical) sense in the living beings upto the plants (as per aphorism 2.13). 1. The word 'anta' (end) has many meanings (like components, vicinity, terminal end etc.). However, here it is intended to mean the terminal end. Thus, the aphorism means that there is one sense (of touch) only upto the plant-bodied beings. 2. If the word 'anta' is taken to mean "vicinity", it will involve the airbodied and mobile beings also. They would also have to be called one-sensed rather than two-sensed beings (as the S-version indicates). 3. The word 'anta' (end) is a relational term. It occurs with reference to some earlier ones. This leads to an indication about the beginning. Thus, the whole aphorism means that there is one sense only in the living beings beginning from earth etc. and ending in plants (as per 2.13). 4. Q. It is contended that as there is mention of only one sense in general in this aphorism, this could be any one of the five senses. There is no specific mention of any sense here and the word 'one' specifies the number only. 5. A. This is not correct. The word 'one' means the first one. And the first one is the sense of touch. This is observed that in many cases, the word 'one' means the 'first one' in the order. Q. How the sense of touch is originated ?
The sense of touch arises due to (i) destruction-cum-subsidence of energy-obstructing and sense of touchobscuring karma
A.
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