Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

Author(s): J C Sikdar
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 486

461
Sec. X]
STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SUTRA
The infernal state of existence has been dealt with in the Bhs from different aspects, such as, their birth' and death, etc.3
Celestial beings
The celestial beings are the gods and goddesses endowed with transformation bodies, a great longevity of life in comparison with that of the worldly beings, and great prosperity and power, splendour, enjoyment and happiness during their state of existence in heaven. With the exhaustion of Devayus (celestial span of life) they fall from the heaven and are reborn as human beings. Like the worldly human beings, there are stated to be developed and undeveloped gods (i. e. those whose sense-organs are fully developed and those whose sense-organs are not fully developed)."
They are possessed of cognitions-mati,-sruta,-avadhi-jñāna or ajñāna (as the case may be); intuitions-caksur-acaksur-avadhidarśana; activities-4 mental, and 4 vocal activities and vaikriya (transformation); vaikriya-miśra and kārmaṇakāyayoga; 6 lesyās (with some difference among different classes of gods); attitudes of mind-perverted (mithyātva), sāsādanā-samyaktva (mixed) and right attitude (samyaktva); and conduct-not-self-control (no-samyata).
They are reborn as human beings or as animals. They do not find celestial and infernal states of existence (gati), anupärvi, ayus, transformation-body and limbs, translocation-body and limbs, undeveloped, common body, two to four-sensed lower animal's ayus-karma, fine body.
Classification of Gods
Gods are classified into four species, viz. Bhavanavāsīs (or patis), Vanavyantaras, Jyotiskas and Vaimanikas." The Bhavanavāsīs who are the lowest of them are divided into ten classes, viz. Asurakumāra, Nāgakumāra, Vidyut-kumāra, Suparṇa-kumāra,
Ib, 20, 10, 687.
1 Bhs, 26, 8, 805 (birth); 20, 10, 685. 8.4 Ib, 1, 7, 57, 58, 59.
Ib, 2, 7, 115; 5, 9, 227; 13, 2, 473.