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Metaphysics, Ethics and Spiritual Development
213
of things of different colours placed successively before it, even so the soul undergoes different states or transformations in the vicinity of physical substances of different colours; they are called leśyā.
Physical substances of black, blue and grey colours are evil, unwholesome, while those of yellow, golden and white colours are good or wholesome. Black physical substances are intensely evil, the blue ones are moderately evil and the grey ones are mildly evil. And the yellow substances are mildly good, the golden ones are moderately good and the white ones are intensely good. The good mental state that arises on account of the association of mind with good substances is good leśyā. On the other hand, the evil mental state that arises on account of the association of mind with evil substances is evil leśyā. The black-the intensely impure-mental or spiritual state which originates on account of the association of mind or soul with the black material particles is the black (krsna) leśyā. The blue-the moderately impure-mental state which originates on account of the association of mind with the blue material particles is the blue (nila) leśyā. The grey—the mildly impure-mental state, which originates on account of the association of mind with the grey (brinjal-flower-colour) material particles is the grey (kapota) lesyā. The yellow (rising-sun-colour)-mildly pure-mental state which originates on account of the association of mind with the yellow material particles is the yellow (pīta) leśyā, also called tejo-leśyā. The lotus-colour (karenaflower-colour or campaka-flower-colour)—moderately pure-mental state which originates on account of the association of mind with the material particles of the same colour is padma-leśyā. And white-intensely puremental state, which arises on account of the association of mind with the white material particles is the white (sukla) leśyā.
1. In the modern scientific experiments, it has been found that even thought vibrations
ensuing from mind have colours. The theory of six leśyās indicating different degrees of soul's internal purity or impurity, as shown above, is enunciated in the Jaina scriptures. And Markhaliputta Gośālaka, a leader of the Asīvika sect, has described six psychic colours (abhijāti), viz., black (krsna), blue (nila), red (lohita), yellow (haridra), white (śukla) and supremely white (parama sukla), classified on the basis of purity-impurity of activities. (This has been noted in the Buddhist Pitaka Añguttaranikāya). (This Gośālaka had spent six years with Lord Mahāvīra as his pupil when Mahavira had not still attained omniscience). The Mahābhārata Santiparva 12. 286 Adhyāya contains the following verse: şad jīvavarņāh paramam pramānam krsno dhūmro nilam athāsya madhyam/ raktam punaḥ sahyataram sukham tu häridravarnam susukham ca suklam //33//
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