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Scientific Vision of Lord Mahāvīra
the stimulus from the outside world of sensation, according to the condition of soul. It involves the process of an inter-linked chain of actions in the direction of some definite and distant object, which is conducive to selfpreservation, etc.
There are various meanings of the word 'samjñā', such as, knowledge, desires, thinking capacity to differ between good or bad. According to the theory of karma, samjnas are due to pre-maturation and subsidence-cum-destruction of deluding karma and feeling producing karma and also due to many types of inherent sensitivity in the living beings. Hence, there may be a variety of their numbers.
In the Bh.S, 70 ten instincts have been enumerated. They are-the instinct of hunger, fear, carnality, possession, anger, pride, deceit and greed, instinct as discursive cognitional activity and instinct as intuitive activity. The detailed description about them is not found in the Bh.S. The commentary on Sthānārga Sūtram throws light on the nature of the instincts. According to it, they are not only cognitive in nature but are mainly of emotive nature. According to modern psychology they can be known as of affective nature. The commentary defines samjna as consciousness (both emotive and cognitive) due to the rise of the sensation - producing karma and deluding karma, and the suppression-cum-elimination of the knowledge-covering and intuition-covering karma. Of the ten instincts, the first eight are emotional, and the remaining two cognitive. The commentator has explained the practical aspects of instincts, which can be compared with the behavioral psychology as shown in the following table.
Table: 7
Instinct 1. Āhāra samjñā
2. Bhaya samjñā
3. Methuna samjñā 4. Parigraha samjñā
Physical-mental Behaviour and Changes Picking up the morsel of food by hand, mouth, etc; movement of the mouth, search for the food. Emotion of fear creating timid out-look, change in voice, horrification, etc. Amorous glances, touch, shivering, etc. Avaricious acquisition of things and their hoarding. Redness of the eyes, snapping of teeth and trembling of lips, etc. Egotism and hardening of the body. False speech out of affliction, act of hiding etc. Acquisition and hoarding out of greed. Discursive cognitive activity. Intuitive cognition.
5. Krodha
6. Māna 7. Māyā 8. Lobha 9. Loka 10. Ogha
