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100
Hermann Kuhn
Clairvoyance and telepathy (avadhi) arise in two different ways: we either gain them by birth or by removing the karmic blocks that obstruct their functioning.
SUTRA 21
Hayretsafe saGrau || 29 11
Bhava pratyayo avadhir deva narakanam (21)
In the inhabitants of higher and nether worlds49 clairvoyance (avadhi) is inborn. (21)
The inhabitants of higher 'celestial' worlds (devas) are beings, who by their own activities and inner attitudes attracted a certain type of positive karma that caused their embodiment in these regions. The bodies and lifecircumstances of devas support their deep desire for happiness, unrestricted movement, health, supernatural abilities,
49 The Jains distinguish four classes of beings:
1 - devas - beings residing in celestial areas; 2 - narakas - beings residing in infernal areas; 3 - human beings, 4 - animals and plants.
For someone born and raised in the Western cultural environment this division - and specially the first two classes - may promptly be relegated into the area of religious fable or attributed to a rather simpleminded higher instance of merit and punishment.
This type of mystical context is not meant by the Jains. The statement refers to the comprehensive classification of life-forms that is described in great detail in the second, third and fourth chapter of the Tattvarthasutra.
Western science - which presently influences most of our concepts of life - is not interested in these areas, does not examine them and therefore cannot seriously state anything about them.
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