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Biology in Jaina Treatise on Reals
there will neither be the designation of malehood in young and old human, subhuman and celestial beings and those in transit with karmic physical activity, nor there will be designation of femalehood among them because they can neither progenate nor conceive.
The feminine libido is like the fire of wood, the masculine libido is like the grass-fire and the neuter libido is like the fire in the brick-baking-kiln. All these three libidoes or genders are found in the living beings born with the uterine birth. Supplementary Note (2.50-52) 1. The commentary deals with the following points : (a) The aphorism 2.50 defines the terms etymologically. It is pointed out that the hellish beings and a-sexuals are neuter by gender. The celestials have masculine and feminine gender and the rest including the uterine-birth-born beings have all the three genders. (b) The genders have two varieties- physical and psychical. It occurs due to the realisation of specific physique-making karma and conduct-deluding karma of quasi-passions. The two types of gender have been defined. (c) The three types of genders have been defined etymologically and conventionally. They have been illustrated through wood fire, grass fire and brick fire. 2. The three aphorisms 2.50-52 deal with the genders or sexes of the embodied living beings. There are two terms generally used interchangeably for sex- linga and veda. But they have clearly distinguishable meanings. The sex has physical shape, body organ, realisation through physique-making karma and end-means relationship. In contrast, the term libido 'veda' involves psychical dispositions, mental desires or volitions, realisation through conduct-deluding karma and a means-end relationship. 3. As the word 'libido' (veda) has been used in 2.52, the description, here, seems to refer to psychical sex desires in all these aphorisms. The physical sex follows the psychical libido. 4. The libido karma is taken as unalterably bonded in the earlier birth and lasts in the current life from the first instant to the last one. Thus, the psychical libido and physical sex lasts throughout one's current life as per cononical contention.
This concept of unalterability of libido/sex seems to be under tension now-a-days as many cases are being reported every year in which physical sexes undergo change leading to corresponding change in psychical libido. Thus, the assumed-birth-based correspondence between the libido and sex also requires reconsideration. 5. The aporisms 2.50-52 have given different genders for different types of living beings. The meaning of a-sexual birth has already been commented upon. In fact, it means a de facto a-sexual, its neuter libido may be a correct
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