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Biology in Jaina Treatise on Reals
2. The egg is defined as a white circular (elliptical) covering entity composed of semen and blood which have grown hard like the upper part of the nails and the skin. 3. The young ones of certain animals (pota) are known as those who have developed their different body parts in the womb without any covering and who are capable of movement soon after being delivered out of the birth places.
The word 'Ja' in the end of the two terms of 2.33 means 'born in with or out of. Thus, those living beings born with sac coverings are termed as viviparous or umbilical. Those living beings born of eggs are known as oviparous. Those living beings born without coverings are known as unumbilical. 4 Q. The Svetāmbaras contend that there should be the term of 'pota-ja' in place of 'pota' in 2.33 as in the case of other two terms. This means that the worldly soul is born in developed form. A. This is not correct as this does not make any difference in the meaning. There is nobody else born in the un-umbilical birth. 5. Q. It is contended that the soul itself is un-umbilically born. There is no separate entity of soul from its un-unbilical form just as the sac-covering is different from the living being. Thus, there is difference in the meaning. A. This is also not correct. The developed young one is itself the soul. The soul is transformed into this form. There is no separate entity of soul from its un-umbilical form just as the sac-covering is different from the living being.
The meaning of 'potaja' as that which is born in un-umbilical state- also does not convey any different meaning. This meaning does not convey any specific sense. Hence, the use of the term 'pota' is justified. 6-7. The umbilicals are placed first in the aphorism as they are more respectable. They have also uncommon activities like speech and studies which are not found in the oviparous and un-umbilicals. 8. Secondly, some of the umbilicals are born as torch bearers like Cakradhraras (universal monarchs), Vasudevas (Krsna and others) and the like who hold great influence over the people and the land. 9. Thridly, it is the umbilically born beings who are capable of practicing the path of right faith etc. leading ultimately to the bliss of liberation. All this leads to their respectablity. 10. The oviparous beings are placed next as they are more respectable than the un-umbilicals. It is observed that many of the oviparous beings like parrots and other birds are capable of activities like pronunciation of word etc. which is not found in un-umbilicals. 11. Q. Any description should follow the stipulated order. Thus, the agglutinationals must be described first as per the order in the aphorism 2.31. A. This is not correct. If the 2.31 aphorismic order is followed, a lengthened aphorism would have to be composed with the meaning that the 1-4
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