Book Title: Collected Research Papers in Prakrit and Jainology Vol 02
Author(s): Nalini Joshi
Publisher: University of Pune

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Page 144
________________ Thus the above mentioned examples in zoology are similar to agglutinated five-sensed subhuman-beings of Jaina philosophy. The undeveloped vegetations from the flora-kingdom and aquatic beings from the fauna sector reproduce asexually. Based on these observations Hemecandra mentions - सम्मूर्छजास्तृणादयः ।। सम्मूर्च्छनाज्जायन्ते सम्मूछेजाः , आदिग्रहणाद् भूच्छत्राद्याः ।। मत्स्यादयाः सम्मूर्च्छनोद्भवाः ।। आदिग्रहणात् सर्पादयः ।।23 8. How can we explain the concept of sammūrochima manusyas, in modern scientific way? Jaina philosophy describes birth by womb and birth by agglutination for human beings. Right from the process of male-female mating to conception to actual birth is described in detail in various works like Tandulavaicārika, Prajñāpanā and Jīvābhigama. These also describe the varied physical and mental development in human beings. Moreover agglutinated human beings are also described in Jaina texts like Sthānānga, Samavāyānga, Bhagavati, Jivābhigama, Prajñāpanā, Uttaradhyayana, Gommatasāra (Jivakānda) etc. Agglutinated human beings are described in Prajñāpanā as follows - से किं तं मणुस्सा ? मणुस्सा दुविहा पण्णत्ता, तं जहा - सम्मुच्छिममणुस्सा य गब्भवक्कंतियमणुस्सा य । से किं तं सम्मुच्छिममणुस्सा ? सम्मुच्छिममणुस्सा एगागारा पण्णत्ता । कहिं णं भंते सम्मुच्छिममणुस्सा सम्मुच्छंति ? गोयमा ! अंतोमणुस्सखेत्ते पणतालीसाए जोयणसयसहस्सेसु अढाइज्जेसु दीवसमुद्देसु पन्नरससु कम्मभूमीसु तीसाए अकम्मभूमीसु छप्पणाए अंतरदीवएसु गब्भवक्कंतियमणुस्साणं चेव उच्चारेसु वा पासवणेसु वा खेलेसु वा सिंघाणेसु वा वंतेसु वा पित्तेसु वा पूएसु वा सोणिएसु वा सुक्केसु वा सुक्कपोग्गलपरिसाडिसु वा विगतजीवकलेवरेसु वा थी-पुरिससंजोएसु वा णगरणिद्धमणेसु वा सव्वेसु चेव 'असुइएसु ठाणेसु' एत्थ णं सम्मुच्छिममणुस्सा सम्मुच्छंति । अंगुलस्स असंखेज्जइ-भागमेत्तीए ओगाहणाए असण्णी मिच्छादिट्ठी अण्णाणी सव्वाहिं पज्जत्तीहिं अपज्जत्तगा अंतोमुहुत्ताउया चेव कालं करेंति । से तं सम्मुच्छिममणुस्सा 124 According to the above description - i) All agglutinated human beings have similar shape. ii) It's measurement is the infinitth part of a fingertip (i.e. angula-asamkhejja-bhāga). iii) Agglutinated human beings are mindless, have false belief, are ignorant and immature. iv) The maximum life span is of 48 minutes. v) These agglutinated beings are born in fourteen impure places like stools, urine, sputum, pus, blood, semen, dead bodies of human beings who take birth by womb. Pathology describes excretion of various cells of human beings in their excreta like stools, urine, sputum, blood, vomit etc. which according to Jaina science forms the birth place for agglutinated beings. Though these excreta might differ in their appearance yet they have same genetic makeup i.e. DNA (Deoxy ribose nucelic acid) which forms the identity of that particular being. Hence probably agglutinated beings are described to be of same shape. DNA is present in each and every cell of human beings. According to Jaina philosophy agglutinated beings take birth only at impure places i.e. various excretions. But this philosophy mentions birth in any of the human being body part as they consider the human body to be impure. 144

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