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Jaina Karmology
113 (a) non-obeyance of orders, (b) fading of garlands and (c) loss of shine in their bodies and ornaments. Supplementary Notes
The commentary deals with the following points : (a) There are four types of life-span karma based on four types of destinities. The characteristics of these life-spans have also been mentioned. (b) The life-span is not due to food-intake etc. only as they are only the helping causes for it. One observes death despite food intakes (and medicines) etc., Secondly, the hellish and celestial beings do not have food intake etc. still they have good life-spans. Hence, basically lifespan is due to the life-span determining karma only. (c) Though the celestials have physical and psychical pleasures in general, but they have many psychical pains also mentioned in the semi-aphorism 8.10.8. 2. The four-fold life-spans are there as there can be no existence of living beings without them. 3. It seems the life-span-determining karma refers to the physical life-span and longevity of the current birth. Besides its karmic component, it has many other helping factors for smoothness and longevity. genetic, environmental, nutritious intakes, undereating, salad eating, normal, surgical and replacement technics, physical exercises, meditation, telormerase and pimagaline treatment etc. effect the length and quality of life span. By-pass surgery and organ transplant are proving good helping causes for longevity. Despite all this, every lifespan has a natural end. It has not been possible to win over death, though it may be delayed. Death means termination of current life-span and winding up of biological clock. 4. Physiologically, during the life process, many cells of physical system are constantly destroyed and regenerated. With passage of time, this process gets weaker and weaker until at death, the process of regeneration of cells becomes zero. However, controlled telomerase can delay the process overlooking the natural life-span karma. 5. It may be pointed out that life-span karma is distinguished from other karmas by the fact that it is bonded or fixed only once in a life time during the last third or last Antarmuhurta of current life for the
ensuing rebirth. The individual is un-aware of this fixing. It implies that Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only
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