Cosmology Old and New

Author(s): G R Jain
Publisher: Bharatiya Gyanpith

Page 94

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COSMOLOGY : OLD AND NEW
of matter. All objects of sense perception have a physical existence; in other words, physical properties such as touch, taste, smell or colour are associated with them. In Jainism five kinds of bodies are enumerated. They are all material and are as follows
(2)
Vai
(3)
(1) Audārika śarīra--Physical bodies of all iving creatures
whether born from the womb of a mother or born otherwise including the microscopic and sub-microscopic organisms. Vaikriyika sarira-That which is possessed by the beings of the heaven or those of the hell. It is invisible to normal vision and is capable of transformation in shape or size. Aharaka sarira-A subtle body which is developed by advanced Yogis and can be projected or shot forth to
great distances on special occasions. (4) Taijasa sarira–The electrical body whose existence has
been verified by scientific experiments. (see pages
54-55 ante.) (5) Kārmāņa sarira 48-The inner subtle body which is
the seed of all mental and physical activities. Only the first of these can be perceived by senses, the others are subtle bodies, one subtler than the other in succeeding order. But they are all corporeal.
Then the author has included dravya manal49 in the class of pudgala and so it is.
148. It is this subtle material body which is responsible for keeping the soul bound to the confines of the Universe (the loka) owing to the gravitational forces of matter surrounding on all sides. When karmic matter is shed off, the soul, being the lightest substance, moves on upwards until it is brought to rest at the top of the Universe owing to the absence of the medium of motion beyond. This is just in accordance with the physical principles. A hydrogen balloon, let free, goes on moving upwards owing to the fact that hydrogen is lighter than the surrounding air and comes to rest at the height where the surrounding atmosphere is all hydrogen. This view is expressed in Sutras 5 & 6 of Chapter X. of Talı vartha-su ira : "तदनन्तरमूवं गच्छत्यालोकान्तात् ।।५।। पूर्वप्रयोगादसंगत्वाद्बन्धच्छेदात्तथागतिपरिणामाच्च" ।।६।।
149. Dravya mana appears to be identical with the physiological organ, the Heart.