Book Title: Scientific Contents in Prakrta Canons
Author(s): N L Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

View full book text
Previous | Next

Page 406
________________ 384 : Scientific Contents in Prākrta Canons later to be physical and functional in nature and not a form of mysterious force as suggested by Sikdar66. He has also called completions as vital force or actual living material consisting of many substances nearing protoplasmic type causing the capacity to develop various vitalities. If both these terms are treated as unique mysterious forces, it will be difficult to explain them in current terms. Moreover, two forces for the same purpose seem to be superfluous. Secondly, this opinion has no canonical support as vital force theory is not teneable for the Jainas. Sikdar also seems to be off the track when he equates completion with a force and a nearly protoplasmic material as these two entities have different natures. The names of completions indicate their physical nature, representing formation of various organs to perform different functions - internal and external. For example, the respiratory completion should mean development of nasal organ, heart and nervous systems. Any system requires energy, normally supplied by food intake during its digestion and metabolic transformation for working. In absence of respiratory system, the above processes will become difficult. Even the development of various systems will not be possible. Thus, completions are a physical phemomena and not supra-sensual as pointed by Akalanka. Actually, the respiratory inhaling or exhaling is perceptible in all normal and special cases. One of the nostrils is warmer than the other during the process. In a sense, they seem to be grosser than vitalities. The physicochemical or physiological processes occurring in various organs are known to generate energy to give strength and energy. Thus, completions are primary physical processes of developing body and its various organs and supplying the necessary caloric energy or force ( inherent outcome of food intake ) for different vitalities to grow and function. In other words they are primary growth of organs neceassary to develop characteristics of vitalities. This view conforms also the cause-effect relationship between the two. This view will support Sikdar's sugges Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

Loading...

Page Navigation
1 ... 404 405 406 407 408 409 410 411 412 413 414 415 416 417 418 419 420 421 422 423 424 425 426 427 428 429 430 431 432 433 434 435 436 437 438 439 440 441 442 443 444 445 446 447 448 449 450 451 452 453 454 455 456 457 458 459 460 461 462 463 464 465 466 467 468 469 470 471 472 473 474 475 476 477 478 479 480 481 482 483 484 485 486 487 488 489 490 491 492 493 494 495 496 497 498 499 500 501 502 503 504 505 506 507 508 509 510 511 512 513 514 515 516 517 518 519 520 521 522 523 524 525 526 527 528 529 530 531 532 533 534 535 536 537 538 539 540 541 542 543 544 545 546 547 548 549 550 551 552 553 554 555 556 557 558 559 560 561 562 563 564 565 566 567 568 569 570 571 572 573 574 575 576 577 578 579 580 581 582 583 584 585 586 587 588 589 590 591 592 593 594 595 596 597 598 599 600 601 602 603 604 605 606 607 608