Jain Journal 1990 10

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 29

JAIN JOURNAL
judged by heat resistance, beating, rubbing and drilling. It was assumed that when lead was converted into gold, many factors including vital force worked. It is obtained by heating its ore with salt and borax. Other metals are also obtained similarly. Artificial gold has also been mentioned in Niryuktis.31 Tempering is one of the ways to improve the quality of iron. Descriptions about other earths or metals is not available in canons.
The above description about solids seems to be quite small and incomplete when compared with the current knowledge. Still it proves the ancient scholars did observe what was existing. The Vaisesikas 82 have only three types of earth-soils, stones and minerals and immobiles (vegetable kingdom). The Jainas do not have this last category. Table 2 suggests Jainas advancement over Vaisesikas in this regard. The Buddhists have not much to offer in this matter.
The Water Class
Like earth, water represents liquid skandhas. They are divided in two classes—fine and gross. No examples of fine variety are available. However, gross water could be of three types--pāniya (water), pān (alcohols) and panak (medicinal waters). Fludity is the chief characteristic of this class. Ordinary water has two variety overground and underground, They have been sub-classified in different Agamic periods as shown in Table 3. The Prajñāpanā gives the best classification with 16 varieties of water liquids including all the three major varieties. Mülācāra and Amritacandra have nothing special. Santi Suri has seven varieties on which earth rests. There are two types of creatures found in water-airbodied and waterbodied.33 The normal water is purified by boiling or by using alum. It is said that the ascetics should use the water cooled after boiling. The pure water becomes substratum for micro-organisms when kept for 12-24 hours. Fermented or lemon waters are acidic which increases on keeping them longer due to further fermentation
81 Kundakundacarya, op. cit., 36 p. 224. 32 Prasastapadacarya, op. cit., p. 89. 33 Muni Nathmal, op. cit., p. 117.