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96
TATTVĀRTHA SŪTRA
Why then is it not conceded that they too are possessed of manas ?
Answer : In the present context saṁjñā means not ordinary behaviour but a specific type of it. This specific type of behaviour is of the form of that reflection over the merits and demerits of things which enables one to attain what is beneficial and avoid what is harmful. It is this specific type of behaviour which the theoretical texts designate sampradhāraṇa-samjñā. This form of saṁjñā is the function of manas and is such as is clearly found to be exhibited only in the case of the heavenly beings, the hellish beings, the human beings born of a womb, the animals born of a womb. That is why they alone are considered to be possessed of manas.
Question : Is it not the case that the beings like insects, ants etc. too undertake endeavour with a view to attaining what they desire and avoiding what they disdain ?
Answer : They do.
Question : Then why are they not considered to be possessed of the sampradhāraṇa-samjñā and manas ?
Answer : In the case of the insects etc. too manas of an extremely subtle type does exist? And it is on account of it that they manage to move towards what is beneficial and to move away from what is undesirable. But this manas of theirs is of use for a bare maintenance of body-not for any thing else. In the present context, on the other hand, by manas is understood such an advanced type of it as enables one, when suitable means are available, to undertake reflection that goes beyond the question of a bare maintenance of body—that is, such as enables one even to recall one's past birth. It is the capacity to undertake reflection of this type that is called sampradhāraṇa-samjñj. And such samjñā is
1. For the details of the question see Hindi Chauthā Karmagrantha, p. 38, the appendix pertaining to the term samjñā.
2. See jñānabindu-prakaraņa (Yaśovijaya Jaina Granthamālā), p. 144.
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