Studies on Biology in Tattvartha Sutra

Author(s): N L Jain
Publisher: Z_Sumanmuni_Padmamaharshi_Granth_012027.pdf

Page 15

Glory of Jain Culture
While the canonical concepts of continuual death represents quite a fine observation, other forms of death are factors of death rather than forms of death. In contrast, medical biologists have indicated two forms of deaths-in one heart beat, pulse beat stop functioning while the brain functions for some time, in the other the brain also stops functioning - thus all functioning mechanisms stop working. Secondly, man has always been thinking of immortality. The biologists have been successful in lengthening the life of many creatures even ten-fold. They have also been successful in increasing the longevity of life by many other physical methods shown in Table 9. The canons have a restricted view about this concept because of limitations due to life-span karma. Of course, austerites and meditators may have much longer life. However, it seems the biologists are moving towards overcoming control of life-span karma for the process of longevity.
The T.S. 2 is mostly concerned with the physical aspects of living-mind, senses, bodies, birth, gender and vitalities keeping their psychic aspects underground. Nearly 70% (37/53) of this chapter deals with these aspects. The volitions are generally psycho-physical. The above aphorisms seem to indicate a new aspect of Jiva which seems more than physical adding to the psychic phenomena. The Acarya was not only reformist but a traditionalist also. He has reformed/ reframed many concepts without much deviation from tradition. He has followed the same practice through these aphorisms to maintain that though the Jiva is mostly physical but it is associated with some specific nonphysical phenomenon too. The transmigration process exemplifies it. In fact, this concept is based on two religious postulates: (1) The concept of eternal nonmaterial soul
(d) Transmigratory Phenomena
The living body consists of at least three types of bodies - (1) Gross, eye-perceptible bodies (2) Fine body (microscope-perciptible) (3) Superfine Karmic body.
The T.S. 2.25-30 describe the afterdeath phenomenon. In fact, these aphorisms should have been placed in the end of the chapter two after describing irreducibility of life-span. These six aphorisms point out that the living beings have transmigratory motions for 1-3 (or four) Samayas to acquire new state of birth after their this - worldly death.
Besides it has something else. At death, this something associated with these superfine bodies moves out of the gross body. What is this something? The religionists call it soul - the karma - free eternal non-material entity. Its nature is
Studies on Biology in Tattvartha Sutra (Formulae on Reals)
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