Book Title: Epitome of Jainism
Author(s): K B Jindal
Publisher: Munshiram Manoharlal Publisher's Pvt Ltd New Delhi

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Page 144
________________ 132 An Epitome of Jainism The Chapter on Paryapti (Developableness) in Jainism is interesting, but not free from intricacy. It is dealt with in Jiva Kânda, Chapter III, Gathas 118-128; and is followed by an account of Prâņa (Vitality) in Chapter IV, Gathas 129-133. Biologists and zoologists alone can say if it is capable of being subjected to experiments. But the briefest Jaina account is this. The newly born soul is incomplete, but has the capacity to become complete in assimilation, body, senses, respiration, speech, and mind. The completion of the capacity to develop these six assimilation etc., makes the six Paryaptis. When a soul goes from one condition of existence to another, it assimilates the molecules of áhâraka-matter, and also of speech matter in the case of more than one-sensed, and of mind-matter in the case of rational beings. The áháraka molecules form the physical body of human and sub-human beings, the fluid (vaikriyaka, transformable) body of celestial and hellish beings, and the assimilative body in case of saints. These molecules must be reduced to a primary solid and liquid form. The completion of the capacity to do it, is the Assimilative (Ahâraka) Development. The solid portions develop into bone etc., the hard substances, and the liquid into blood, bile etc., the fluid substances of the body. The completion of the capacity to do it, is the Body (Sarîra) Development. The molecular matter assimilated by the soul is further formed into sense-organs. The completion of the capacity to do it, is the Sense (Indriya) Development. The wear and tear of the body is made up by ceaseless Respiration. The completion of the capacity for respiration is the Ana-pāna-Development. The completion of the capacity to form speech-molecules and mind-molecules into speech and mind, is respectively the Speech and Mind Development. The beginning of the acquiring of 4, 5 cr 6 capacities is simultaneous; but their completion is in the order in which they are named above. And from the first kind, each successive development takes more time to complete itself than its predecessor. But cach one individually, and all the six collectively never take more than one Antara muhûrta (the minimum of which is one wink (Avali) and one instant (Samaya), and maximum is 48 minutes minus one instant.) But a completely undevelopable (Labdhi-aparyâptaka) soul does not complete its capacities to develop, and dies within one antar-nuhúrta, which is one-eighteenth of one pulse-beat. The yoni is the womb or other physical centre or nucleus where the incarnating soul finds its lodgment at conception. According to Jainism, such a nucleus may be cold or hot, covered or open, living or non-living, or a combination of these three pairs. Thus primarily yonis are of nine kinds. But with their classes and sub-classes they are 84 lacs. The 84 lacs of nuclei for birth of souls are as follows: One-sensed beings: Earth-bodied 7,00,000 Water-bodied 7,00,000 Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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