Jaina Biology

Author(s): J C Sikdar
Publisher: ZZ_Anusandhan

Page 12

(HNI -9 133
The five vital forces, viz. Prāna, apāņa, samāna, udāna, and vyāna" are stated to be Vāyu in metaphorical way. Prāņa (life) is in reality a reflex activity, a resultant force of the various concurrent activities of the Antahkarana, i. e. "of the sensorimotor (Iñānedriya-Karmendriya), the emotive (manah) and the apperceptive reactions of the organism."#40
According to Vijñānabhikṣu, this explains the disturbing effect on the vitality of pleasurable or painful emotions (like love = kāma) of mind (manas), one of the internal senses involved in the reactions of the living organism."!
Thus Prāņa of the Sāṁkhya is not a Vāyu nor is it evolved from the inorganic matters (Bhūtas), "but is is only a complex reflex activity (Sambhūyaikā vstti) generated from the operations of the psycho-physical forces in the organism."42
In agreement with the Sāṁkhya the Vedāntists hold the view that “Prāna is neither a vāyu nor the operation of a vāyu."'43 But they differ from the former's view that Prāņa is a more reflex or resultant of concurrent sensori-motor, emotive and apperceptive reactions of the organism. If eleven birds, put in a cage, concurrently and continually strike against the bars of it in the same direction, it may move on under the impact of concerted action. But the sensory and motor activities cannot in this way produce the vital activity of the organism, because the loss of one or more of the senses does not result in the loss of life. This is above all the radical distinction between them. There is the sameness of kind (Samajātiyatva) between the motions of the individual birds and the resultant motion of the cage, but Prāņa is not explained by sensations, but it is a separate principle (or force), just as the mind and antaḥkarañas generally are regarded in the Samkhya. It is a sort of subtle "ether-principle" (adhyātmavāyu) pervasive of the organism, not gross vāyu, all the same subtilized matter like the mind itself, as everything