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Biology in Jaina Treatise on Reals
functions in digestion, cursing and beneficiation etc. suggesting its activity and receivability.
All these bodies originate through the three types of births which have already been described. Do these bodies have all types of birth in general or they have distinctive births? The following three aphorisms (2.45-47) clarify this point: Garbha-Sammūrchanajam-ădyam
2.45 The first body- gross body is born through the uterine and agglutinational births. 1. The first body is the gross body with reference to the order of bodies in 2.36. This means that all bodies born through uterine and agglutinational birth are gross bodies. (All the humans and subhumans have this body).
The next aphorism describes the type of birth of the second body:
Aupa-pädikam Vaikriyakam
2.46 The transformable body is born through the special-bed birth.
This aphorism indicates that whatever is the body born through special bed, should all be known as the transformable body.
If the transformational body is special bed birth born, there will be no transformational body-ness in the body born through non-special-bed type of birth. The following aphorism precludes this contention, and indicates additional factor for the origination of this type of body:
SC.
Labdhi-pratyayam Ca
2.47 The transformable body is also produced by or through super-natural attainments. 1. The word 'trasnformational body' is connected here from the earlier aphorism 2.46.
The word 'pratyaya' (cause) has many meanings-sometimes, it means knowledge, sometimes, it means truth and sometimes, it means caus For this aphorism, the intended meaning is 'cause'. 2. The super-natural attainment is the acquirement of the prodigy through specific austerities. This is also the cause of transformable body formation, 3. Q. What is the distinction between super natural attainment and specialbed birth? A. The special-bed birth is a definite process as it causes the birth of transformbale body. In contrast, the super-natural attainment is an incidental or occasional process. It is acquired after the birth and it depends upon special austerities. This is the distinction between the two. 4. Q. The word 'vikriyā' (transformability) means the process of destruction and decay. This is common for all bodies. It occurs frequently due to the
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