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: THE NATURE OF THE FIVE KINDS OF BODIES
Being endowed with the eight kinds of superhuman powers, this type of body is capable of becoming one or many or infinitesimal or huge. This is called vikriyā (transformation). That which has transformation as its object is vaikriyikam, that is transformable. The miraculous (projectable) body is that, which is originated by a saint of the sixth stage, in order to resolve a doubt or to ascertain the nature of a minute object or to dispel non-restraint. That, which is the cause of brilliance or which is caused by brilliance, is the luminous body. The body composed of karmic matter is the karmic body. Though karma is the cause of all the types of body, by specific usage, the last is restricted to the body composed of karmic matter.
The gross body is perceived by the senses. Similarly, why are the other bodies not perceived by the senses ?
परं परं सूक्ष्मम् . I 30 il Param parar šūksmam
(37)
(37) 37. (The bodies are) more and more subtle successively.
Though the word param has many meanings, from the context it means relative position or order. The repetition 'param param' indicates that the bodies, which are distinct from one another, are successively more and more fine.
The first is gross. The transformable body is finer than the gross one. The miraculous (projectable or translocation) body is still finer than the transformable one. The luminous body is still finer than the miraculous one. And the karmic body is still finer than the luminous one.
Are the bodies, then, successively less and less with regard to space-points? No.
Taaratsperruqui armastia . 36 | Pradeśato asamkhyeyugunai prāktaijusāt (38) 38. Prior to the luminous body, each has innumerable times the number of space-points of the previous one.
Pradesas are indivisiblo units, atoms. That which is beyond numerable is innumerable. That which is innumerable fold
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