Scientific Secrets of Jainism

Author(s): Nandighoshvijay
Publisher: Research Institute of Scientific Secrets from Indian Oriental Scriptures Ahmedabad

Page 336

Some References To Human Physiology In Jain Scriptures
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the worst actions he even goes to the seventh hell also.' Similarly all men, with different types of bone-joints, have different bearing power. Kalpasūtra approves that only Lord Mahāvira could endure the great calamity caused by god Sangama, because he had the first type of bone-joint.
Lõkaprakāśa (part III) and Brhatsangrahani mention that the number of ribs of a man's (human) skeleton during the first, second and third subdivisions ( ārās) of the second half of the time-cycle (Avasarpinikāla) and the sixth, fifth and fourth sub-divisions ( ārās) of first half of the time-cycle (Utsarpiņikāla) is 256, 128 and 64 each and the height of their bodies is 3 Krośas, 2 Krāsas and 1 Krāsa respectively." So we conclude that in Avasarpiņikāla, the number of ribs decreases as time passes. And so at present we possess only twelve ribs.
Tandulavēyāliya Payannā and Pravacana Sārõddhāra give details of human biology of the present time. There are twelve ribs. They arise from the twelve joints of the back-bone of human body and join with the breastbone, to form a cage. There are also six half-ribs hanging on each side of the back-bone. Technically they are called Kațāha. Without any bone, a tongue is seven angulas long and its weight is 4 palas. The weight of each cornea is 2 palas. There are four parts of the skuil, each is called Kapāla. The weight of flesh, in the cavity of the chest-cage, perhaps lungs, is 3.5 palas, while the heart's weight is 25 palas. There are 160 bone-joints in our body and two intestines, a small one and a large one, each weighing five Vāmas. The small intestine is long but thin and the large intestine is short but thick.
Tandulavēyāliya Payannā and Pravacana Sārāddhāra mention that generally men, women and impotents possess 700, 670 and 680 veins respectively. Their situation is as follows :
160 veins going upwards from the navel ( Urddhvagāmini) 160 veins going downwards from the navel ( Adhāgāmini) 160 veinks going oblique on both sides of the navel ( Tiryaggāmini) 160 veins going downwards to anus ( Adhögāmini Gudā Pravişta) 025 veins possessing mucus or mucus ( Ślēşmadhāriņi) 025 veins possessing bile ( Pittadhāriņi) 010 veins possessing semen ( śukradhāriņi)