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COMPENDIUM OF JAINISM
Among the five-sensed beings, there are various classes. They are divided into three classes : those that reside in water like the fish, crocodile, whale etc; those that live on earth like the cows, elephants, buffaloes; and those that live in air like birds, bat, etc.
Human beings are divided into two categories : those who are fully grown up and those who are infirm or not fully developed. It is only those who are mentally and physically developed that can develop all the inherent potentialities of the self and aspire for release from the cycle of birth. Those whose sense-organs and psychical faculties are fully developed can be healthy and balanced in thought and action. The human beings are endowed with the mind whose function is to find out the means of attaining the good and avoid the evil. Those with a mind are also known as Samjñījivas. 30
The celestial beings and the infernal beings are born by instantaneous rise in special beds.31 It has been mentioned in the earlier (Tattvārtha) sūtra that there are three kinds of birth for the earthly beings (1) umbilical (with a sac covering) like children, (2) incubatory (like an egg), e.g. chickens, etc. and (3) unumbilical (without a sac covering) like the cubs, deer, etc. 32 These three kinds of births alone constitute uterine birth. The celestial beings are born in box-beds while the infernal beings are born in bladders hung from the ceilings of the holes in hell. 38
The celestial beings or the devas are so born in that state as a result of their meritorious Karmas (punya). They always amuse themselves and possess a shining body called the vaikriyika śarira. It is a fluid body and the devas can therefore assume any form they like. The body has no flesh, bone or blood and therefore no filthy excretions come out from it. It is lustrous. The devas have eight heavenly acquisitions by their very nature : (1) Animā is the capacity to shrink their bodies or make them small. (2) Mahimā is the capacity to expand their bodies to any dimensions. (3) Laghimā is the capacity to make their bodies very light. (4) Garimā is the capacity to make them very
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