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establish that the soul is distinct from the body. This is why Vāyubhūti cannot come to a conclusion whether the soul is identical with the body or distinct from it (1650-1651).
Mahāvīra explains that if consciousness were absolutely non-existent in the constituent elements severally, it would not emerge at all in the aggregate of these; as oil not being present in the particles of sand does not emerge even when they form an aggregate (1652).
The wine-spirit or the power to intoxicate, etc. is certainly present to some extent in the constituents of wine severally. To take but a few illustrations : The dhātaki flowers by themselves can cause a reeling sensation; molasses, grapes, sugar-cane juice are satisfying and water quenches thirst and so on. Similarly only if consciousness were present to some extent - however slight - in Earth, etc. could it become full and distinct on their forming an aggregate (1653).
Moreover, if the wine-spirit were utterly non-existent in the constituents of wine, it would not be necessary for us to seek these very constituents for obtaining it or for forming their aggregate. One desirous of wine need not then necessarily resort to these but should be able to achieve his aim by means of other constituents--ash, stones, cowdung, etc. all together resulting in wine. But this is not what we find. Hence winespirit is present in each and every constituent of wine (1654).
If it is argued on the basis of this that consciousness exists to some extent in each one of the elements – Earth, etc., and it is this that becomes distinct when the elements are brought together, the reply is that this reasoning is fallacious, for consciousness is not observed in the aggregate of the elements. The aggregate called body comprises not only the elements but also the soul and if conciousness exists in this aggregate, it is not on account of the conglomeration of the elements but because it is an attribute of the soul. If it were due to the conglomeration of the elements it should exist in a dead body also. If it be argued that consciousness is not perceived in a dead body owing to the non-existence of Air, this argument
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