Neuroscience and Karma

Author(s): Jethalal S Zaveri, Mahendramuni
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati

Page 50

12
Neuroscience & Karma
not a physical one. And this non-material/non-physical substance is eternal; it can neither be created nor destroyed. A soul animates a particular organism and manifests itself in various vital functions of a living organism. They can be classified into ten groups, called prána [vital force or bio-energy).
(1) Ayusya prāna - ability to keep alive for a predetermined lifespan which maintains the unity of the body and soul; when it terminates, death occurs.
(2) Swāsocchrāsa prāņa — ability to breathe - an essentially vital function for continuing life.
(3) Sarina bala — vigour of the physical body as a whole.
(4) Vacana bala or bhāṣā bala - ability of vocal expression, both articulate and inarticulate.
(5) Manaḥ bala — ability to think.
(6) to (10) Indriya prāna --ability of utilising the perceptive power of each of the five sense-organs.
Now it is not difficult to see that any of these psychic faculties (prāna) is of no empirical use without its physical counterpart called paryāpti (bic-potential). This means that only a sanjñi pancendriya organism (five-sensed organism with brain) is possessed of all the ten prānas, while the lower ones will be possessed of less. Thus, in a one-sensed organism, such as a plant, only four prānas, which is the bare minimum, could be active and manifested, viz. ayusya prāņa, swāsochhvāsa prāna, sarira bala and only one indriya prāņa, that of touch. All the rest would be dormant. It should be remembered that faculty of communication (bhasa bala) is possessed by two-sensed and higher organisms.
1. This is the process of paryāpti (bio-potential) which is completed in six stages : (1) The
first is ahāra paryāpti -- the in-take of the fertilized ovum by the soul. (2) The second is śarira paryāpti - adoption of the ovum as the physical body. Then follow (3) indriya paryāpti, (4) swāsocchvāsa paryāpa (5) bhásă paryāpa and (6) manah paryāpti — the sequence of the consummation of the potential faculties of sense organs, respiration, speech and thought respectively.