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Biology in Jaina Treatise on Reals
(c) The possessor of ejctable body (14-Purva proficient, sixth stager).
The TSB indicates many more differences in its commentary. However, the above three issues have been explained on the basis that the canons have both types of statements. The D-version has taken one statement while the different statements seem to represent the gradual development of various concepts maturing at some stage. It requires historical perspective to judge the developmental stage.
The subject matter of the second chapter is mainly Jaina Biology. It has the following topics in order :
The five-fold volitional character of the living aph. 1-7 beings including their classifications (canonical
psychology) (ii) The capacitative and functional definition of the ap. 8-9
living (iii) The classification of the living
ap. 10-14 (iv) Psychology (mind-possessing and non-mind ap. 11, 24
possessing) The five cognitive senses, their ap. 15-21, 23
subclassification, objects and possessors (vi) Physiology, anatomy, plant kingdom
ap. 22 (vii) Transmigratory motion and its details
ap. 25-30 (viii) The types of birth and bithplaces (embryology ap. 31.35
of the worldly beings.) (ix) The types of bodies of the worldly beings
ap. 36-49 (x) The libido and sexes of the worldly beings ap. 50-52
(anatomy) (xi) The normal and accidental death
ap. 53 The current biology does neither deal with the volitional character nor the transmigratory motions of the living beings. The first part is dealt with in psychology while the later section is dealt with in religious books as rebirthal proces is still under study by the para-psychologists. The rest of the sections pertain to the field of general biology. The supplementary notes on the commentary in the end attempt to summarise many texts and current knowledge which might be useful for the twentieth century reader to learn about the status of knowledge prevalent in the time of the aphorist and the current times.
Summary of the Contents of Explanatory 1. Volitional definition of the living beings
The TS chapter 2 has used the term 'Jīva' for all types of living beings involving the salvated ones. However, most of its descriptions refer to the worldly living beings. The explanatory, in contrast, has used the term soul in most places. It should be taken to mean ‘worldly or salvated' being with
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