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Tattvärthasūtra
नारकतैर्यग्योनमानुषदैवानि ॥१०॥
[ नारकतैर्यग्योनमानुषदैवानि ] नरकायु, तिर्यंचायु, मनुष्यायु और देवायुये चार भेद आयुकर्म के हैं।
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The life-determining (āyuḥ) karma has four subdivisions: life as an infernal being - narakayuḥ, life as plant and animal - tiryańcayuḥ, life as a human beingmanuṣyāyuḥ and life as a celestial being - devayuḥ.
In states of existence, like the infernal being, the period of life is indicated by the life-determining (āyuḥ) karma. The life in the infernal regions is narakayuḥ. The life in the plants and animal world is tiryańcayuḥ. The life in the human world is manuṣyāyuḥ. And, the life in the celestial regions is devayuḥ. That by which an individual lives a long span of life in the infernal regions where there is intense heat and cold is the infernal life-karma. Similarly it must be understood with regard to the rest.
Out of the ten vitalities (prāna), the life-duration (ayuḥ-prāna) holds the most important place. This is the primary cause of life. As long as life-duration (ayuḥ-prāna) is present, the living-being is alive; when life-duration (ayuḥ-prāna) is absent, the living-being is dead. Food, etc., are just the helpful causes of maintaining life. The lifedetermining (ayuḥ) karma is the primary cause of attaining the particular state of existence.
The four kinds of life-determining (ayuḥ) karma have been explained. The next sūtra is intended to determine the subdivisions of physiquemaking (nama) karma.
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