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Jaina Philosophy and Religion
The material substances that reflect their colours in the mental or spiritual states are called leśyā-substances. The leśyāsubstances are included in activities (yoga) of mind, speech and body. Just as bile in the body excites anger, substances like wine, etc. cause rise of the knowledgeobscuring karma(i.e., cause dullness of intellect) and substances like brāhmi ghee cause subsidence-cum-destruction of the same karma (i.e., cause development of intellect)—that is, just as substances included in activities (yoga) and the external substances cause rise, etc. of the karmas—even so leśyā-substances included in activities (yoga) assist and nourish passions so long as passions exist and are not destroyed. Thus, though a leśyā excites passions, it is not itself of the nature of passions, because even an omniscient who is absolutely free from passions does have a leśyā—the supremely white leśyā alone. A leśyā being of the nature of transformation of activities (yoga), it lasts so long as activities last. So even an omniscient person performing activities does have a leśyā—the supremely white one-, and when there ceases all activity absolutely, that is, only in the
param tu suklam vimalam visokam / This statement enumerates six psychic colours of living beings, viz. black, blue, red, yellow, white and supremely white. The six psychic colours enumerated here are the same as those accepted in the Ajīvika sect of Gośālaka. Patanjali in his Yogasutra (4.7) classifies karmas into four divisions, viz. black, whitecum-black, white and neither-white-nor-black, and thus presents the analysis of purity
impurity of the internal states of living beings. 1. An omniscient person in the embodied state does have leśyā (spiritual-mental
colouration). And as he has leśyā, he has activities (yoga) of mind, speech and body. Of course, his activities promote religion and achieve spiritual good of the people. His life is full of pure and luminous activities. From this we can have an idea of the daily activities of the omniscient Lord living among the common people. He is delighted to see the virtuous but remains indifferent towards those who are wicked and behave wickedly. He holds dialogues with others to explain this or that spiritual point, shows the people the path of peace to pacify quarrels and disputes, sends blessings to some, consoles and inspires others, enters into discussions with those who are opposed to the good of the people or who hold different views. Thus outwardly, he appears like a worldly man. So monks, saints and the honourable elder ascetics too, who do not know him, cannot recognise him as an omniscient person. It is because he does not possess any special outward sign that can declare his internal state of omniscience or Jinahood, nor does such a sign manifest in him when he attains omniscience or Arhathood. But when they get acquainted with his supreme wealth of pure knowledge, then only they recognise him as Arhat or Jina. The common people talk among them: 'In the city two Jinas—two omniscient persons have arrived.' As for example, such a talk spreads among the people when both Lord Mahāvīra and Mankhaliputta Gośālaka-Gośālaka, the self-styled Jina Tirthankara and
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