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112 2. The life-span (Ayu) is defined as that entity (agency) whose existence causes the livingness of the self (in physical terms) and whose absence causes the death of the living. Thus, the life-span means the temporal existence in the specific state of birth. 3.Q. It is opined that the foods etc. are the causes whose proper intakes or non-intakes cause the life and death of the living beings in the world. A. This is not correct. The foods etc. are only the helpers (helping causes) in the cause of life. It is observed that the mass of soil is the basic or essential cause for producing the pitcher and the wheel and rod (and even the potter) are the helping causes in the process. Similarly, the internal or basic cause of birth-taking (life) is the life-span karma while the foods etc. are the helping agents. That is why, we see that there is death of the living beings despite the intakes of foods etc. due to destruction of life-span karma. 4. Secondly, there is no intake of foods etc. in the hellish and celestial beings. Hence, their birth and life-span should be taken as due to the life-span karma only. They have natural intakes only and that too occasionally. 5. The hellish life-span is that by which a living being leads a long span of life in the hells (lower world) where there are highly painful and intense heat and cold. 6. The sub-human life-span is that by which (or whose realisation causes) the living being leads a life-span in the sub-human destinity where there are large number of calamities due to hunger, thirst, cold, heat etc... 7. The human life-span is that by which the living being takes birth and leads a life-span in the human destinity where there is abundance of physical and mental pains and pleasures. 8. The celestial life-span is that by which the living being takes birth and leads a life-span in the celestial destinity which is generally full of physical and psychical pleasures. The word, 'general (Prayah) here has been given because there is sometimes manifestation of physical pains also due to (1) the seperation of the desired ones, i.e. female gods, (2) the sight of deities with better prodigies and (3) manifestations of indicator signs of departure from their destinity like
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