Outlines of Jainism

Author(s): J L Jaini, F W Thomas
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Page 93

METAPHYSICS : XI. THE FIVE BODIES
to the possibility of their existence, and then reasoned faith plus an active pursuit of the Jaina doctrine, for some time at least, will prove their existence and their limitless potentiality.
XII. FORMS OF EXISTENCE (61) The two kinds of bodies, angelic and physical, distribute themselves into four kinds of existence. Angels may be gods or denizens of hell; and physical bodies may attach to men or non-human beings, other than angels.
Thus we have the four gatis of Jainism : deva, celestial; nāraka, hellish; mānushya, human; tiryag, others. The process of evolution onwards into the complication of material bondage is described by Kundakunda Acharya (61).
XIII. LEŚTĀS (62) Leśyā (tint) is said to be that by means of which the soul is tinted with merit and demerit. Inflow of karmas is, we know, effected by yoga and by kashūya, i.e. by the vibrations due to the activity of body, mind, or speech, and by passions, mainly anger, pride, deception, and greed. The vibrations determine the nature and material of the bondage, i.e. the kind of karmas and kind of bodies which are augmented; whereas the passions determine the duration and intensity of the bondage. The two processes correspond to the twofold activity of the leśyās.
The colour of karmas or of the souls invested by them is determined by their particular tint of merit or demerit, i.e. by their particular leśyā. Six colours are given : black, blue, grey, red, lotus-pink, and white (62).