Jainism

Author(s): M R Gelra
Publisher: Createspace

Page 98

(eg. Gems, salt, soil, minerals etc.)
Apkaya: Waterly bodies. They are in liquid state.
(eg. Dew, water, fog, rain, lake water, sea water etc.) Tejaskaya: Firely bodies. They are in the state, of energy.
(eg. Fire, flame, lightening, meteor, electrical spark etc.)
Vayukaya: Airly bodies. They are in gaseous state.
(eg. Wind, circular, air, etc.)
Vanaspatikaya: Floral bodies. (eg. Vanaspati, plant life). They are individual bodied and common bodied.
I. Individual Bodied: Plants and most of the vegetation have one soul in one body
known as individual bodied, Vanaspati. Examples are fruits, grains, leaves and
flowers. II. Common Bodies: A few vegetables possess a common body where infinite souls
live together. These souls have a common medium of inspiration, respiration and assimilation of food. Examples are root vegetables, sprouted pulses and freshly sprouted leaves. Common bodied souls are known as 'Nigoda', a term very significant in Jain literature. It is believed every soul starts its journey from the Nigoda state and may be considered as unicellular organism. They are the earliest form of life. Then the soul develops progressively from one sensed soul to fivesensed soul. This concept of Nigoda soul in Jain literature is purely metaphysical in nature, shows the evolution of soul.
2. Animate Nature Mahavira has not only ascertained consciousness in earthly and immobile one-sensed souls but has described their experience of pain as equal to that of a blind man (Acharang 1/28). Like a blind man, the earthly souls also respire, age and feel emotions like pain, grief and excitement (Acharanga Bhasya 37-41).
Of the five immobile forms of life, plants are commonly thought of after humans and animals. Plants undergo the process of ageing. They too have feelings and vulnerable diseases.
While discussing Vanaspati (plants), Acharanga Sutra points out noteworthy arguments that show the similarity between pain and pleasure in a man and a plant:
As the nature of this (i.e. human) is to be born and to grow old, so is the nature of that (i.e. plant) to be born and to grow old :
• As this has reason so that has reason • As this feels pain when cut, so does that feel pain when cut