________________
Biology in Jaina Treatise on Reals
transformations occcur in gross body. Thus, this is not very much different from the gross body. Hence, not mentioned in the commentary). 4. These bodies varying between two to four may be there simultaneously. However, when there is difference of time, all the five bodies could be there.
The affix A indicates the conclusive limit. This means that some living beings may have all the four bodies simultaneously as above. If the affix A would have indicated only the limit, the simultaneity of four bodies would not have been concluded. 6. Q. Why there are no five bodies simultaneously.? A. The transforamtional and ejectable bodies preclude each other. A restrained one with ejectable body will not have transformable body. A celestial or infernal with transformational body will not have the ejectable body. Thus, there could be no simultanesity of all the five bodies. Supplementary Notes 1. The following points are dealt with in the commentary: (a) A living being may have upto four of the above bodies simultaneously including the last two which are always there. The transformable and ejectable bodies cannot occur simultaneously. Thus, all the five bodies cannot occur simultaneously. (b) The appropriate meanings of the terms in 2.43 have been given.
The aphorist and the commentator assume the commonality of a minimum of two- luminous and karman-bodies and give the maximum number of bodies one can have simultaneously on this basis. There may be five alternatives as below:
Two bodies Three bodies
2.
Under transmigratory motion Humans, animals. infernals and celestials
Luminous and karman (a) Luminous, karman and gross (b) Luminous, karman
and
transformational (a) Luminous, karman,
gross and
transformational (b) Luminous, karman,
gross and ejectable
Four bodies
Some human beings
Sixth stager and precanon proficient monk
The Digambara commentaries mention only four options out of the above five. They exclude 3(a) alternative as they presume transformational
168
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
