Jaina Literature and Philosophy a Critical Approach

Author(s): Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 51

Historical Development of Jaina Philosophy and Religion
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the philosophical ideas of the former also got their which they transmigrate from one Yoni to another and way in the latter. As such, the idea of pañcāstikāya the manner in which they take their food etc. A type was basically of Pārsva tradition, so it could find its ofjivas are called anasyata there. From this, we can place in Bhagavatisātra after its merging in conclude that the idea of anantakäya ( infinite jiva in Māhāvira's tradition.
one body) and pratyekakāya (Onejiva in one body)
came into existence in c. 3rd 4th. The decision as to other living beings but even earth, water, fire and air which of the creatures (jivas ) are to be included in too, as living beings. This is a very typical Jaina con
the two, three or the four sensed jiva, respectively is cept. In the other systems, such as Nyāya -Vaisesika also finalised afterwards. In Bhagavati, it takes the etc. these four elements are considered as mahā- form ofjiva-ajiva division, however, the concept has bhutas and as such jada (unconscious, inanimate). fully developed by the time of Prajnapanā because Among the mahābhūtas, akāśa (space) is the only there we have detailed discussions on indriya, ahāra, element, regarded as non-living (ajiva ) in both the paryapti etc. traditions (Jainism as well as Nyāya-Vaiseșika ).
After the c. 3rd an important change occurred That is whyākāśa is included in pañcāstikāya but has in the classification of mobile and immobile being no place in sadjivanikāya in which only the other (trasa and sthāvara ). Right from Ācāranga to four, viz., earth, water, fire and air are included. The
Tattvărthasūtra, earth, water and vegetation are Jaina thinkers accept not only the life as dependent on regarded as immobile (sthāvara ) and fire, air and the earth, water and the like but also as living too. That is
two, three, four and five-sensed living creatures as why the abstinence from violence towards earth,
mobile (trasa ). The last chapter of Uttaradhyayana, water, air, fire and vegetation is so prominently pres
Kundakunda's Pañcāstikāyasăra and Umāsvāti's cribed in the Jaina Sadhanā, parti-cularly for the Tattvārthasutra confirm it. Afterwards not only earth, Muni's. The subtleness and the extre-me that we find
water and vegetation but all the one-sensed beings are in the observance of non-violence (Ahimsa ) in the regarded as immobile. However, due to the moveJainism have their roots in the idea ofşadjivanikaya. ment seen in fire and air it becomes difficult to regard If we regard earth etc. under the category of the living them as immobile. The root cause of the problem was beings, it is but natural to abstain from their violence. that in those days the two or more sensed beings were
The conception ofşadjivanikāya in Jainism is called trasa, hence it was thought that other than two the oldest one. It is accepted as such from its origin to or more sensed beings all the one sensed beings are date. It is difficult to say that it has undergone any considered as sthāvara ( immobile ). This shows the fundamental change between c. 3rd-10th except that change which had taken place in the c. 5th-6th in the some important issues regarding their classification trasa-sthāvara classification, approximately. After have been raised and some detailed informations that in both the Svetambara and Digambara sects, the about their body, their way of taking food, their concept of pañcasthāvara has found firm footings. It language, their classes, sub-classes etc. are depicted is noteworthy here that when air and fire are regarded in Prajñāpanā and Jivājivābhigama. According to Pt. as trasa, there is the use of the term udara (urala ) for Malvania there is a description in the second chapter trasa. In the beginning the criterion of classification of Sūtrakrtānga, known as Ahāraparijña, regarding of trasa-sthāvara is made from the point of view of the yonis in which jivas take the birth and the way in moveability of things, and as air and fire are