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The Organisation of the Human Body
207
Traditionally men have five-scpsed organs, 8 viz. organs of touch, taste, smell, sight and hearing, but it is misleading for some of the five can be divided into several completely different senses. Thus, touch, (spasi) can be divided into eight kinds, viz cold (sita) and heat (usna) and others to which are all included under the sense of touch (spassandriya ).
According to modern Biology, “In addition there are more vague and generalized, but nevertheless important senses for determining internal states o? the body. The receptors for such senses are located in the Viscera, the throat, and other places."'11
“Stimulation of one sense-organ, c. g. skin, initiales what might be considered" a coded message", transmitted by the nerve fibers and decoded in the brain. How the sense-organ initiates different codes and how the brain analyzes and interpretes them to produce various sensations are still unknown,"12
'I he Stimulus Receiving Process ;
For all types of sense-organs13 the actual excitation of the sensi. tive cell is either mechanical or chemical. The stimulation of touch (sparsa ) and pressure receptors is (i. e. sense-organs of touch) or the skin (sparsanendriya) depends on the mechanical stresses transmitted through the sourrounding capsules as it is suggested by the statement in Jaina Biology that the skin experiences the sensation of touch of the touched and entered objects. 15
That is to say “the proprioceptors (kinesthetic receptors ) respond to the mechanical pressure exerted on them when the surrounding muscle cells or tender fibers are stretched or compressed."16
8. "Mänuşya devānām pancendriyani" Ibid II 24, Bhasya, p. 174 9. Ibid; Pannavaņā, hidriyapadam 15. 10. "Tatra sparso asțavidhah kathino midurgururlaghuh sita uşnah etc..ui", TS.
V. 23, Bhāsya, 356 sec also TS., II. 23, 24. 11. Biology, p, 273. 12. Biology. p. 374. 13. Paņnavaņā, 15, Indriyapadam 14, Ibid, Putthaparam. 15. (Putthäim). ...evam r saņavi phasāņavi /",
Pannavana, Putthadáram, Indriya pa da, 900, 4, p. 243 16. Biology, p. 374.
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