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Biology in Jaina Treatise on Reals
The next aphorism describes the motion of the liberated beings who have shredded the karmic bondage and are conventionally called as the 'living being' on the basis of realisatic standpoint:
Avigrahā Jivasya 2.27 The movement of the liberated beings is linear or without bend.
The word 'vigraha' means obstruction or bend. There is no bend in the movement of the liberated beings. In other words, it is a linear movement. Q. How does one know that this aphorism refers to the movement of the liberated beings ? A. It is learnt from the fact that the aphorism 2.28 contains the word 'worldly beings' (sansărinah). Thus, this aphorism must refer to the motion of the liberated beings.
This aphorism 2.27 is not necessary as the earlier aphorism 2.26 indicates that there is no deviation in motion of the (liberated) beings from linearity. A. This is not correct. This aphorism has a purpose to indicate that the motion of the living beings referred to in 2.26 is sometimes non-linear also. Q. This fact is proved by the statement of the rules of motion with respect to location and time which mentions linear motion in some cases and not always. Thus, this aphorism 2.27 does not serve any purpose. A. This in not so. The above rules are established on the basis of this aphorism 2.27 only. Supplementary Notes 1. The following point is dealt with in the commentary: (a) The living beings under liberation state have non-curved or linear motion only to reach their final abode. 2. There are two types of living beings- worldly and liberated. This aphorism refers to the transmigratory motion of the liberated beings. It is karmically or otherwise obstructionless and, therefore, linear. This is naturally upward linear motion like fire towards the highest point of the universe. The human beings of two and half continents are capable of this type of motion. 3. This aphorism also indicates that the living beings and mattergy may have linear as well as non-linear motion. 4. The word 'of the (liberated) living being' has been given here to exclude mattergic motion.
If the liberated being has a linear motion upto the end of the universe without obstructions, what about the nature of motion of the embodied being ? Does it have obstructions or not? The following aphorism satisfies this query:
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