Quotations From Scriptures (continued from January 2005 issue):
Introduction
Acharya Umaswati's TATTVAARTH SUTRA presents a systematic and comprehensive account of the principles of Jainism. The first chapter of TATTVAARTH SUTRA, presented in previous issues, describes rational perception and rational knowledge, and aspects of reality.
The second chapter of TATTVAARTH SUTRA deals with soul, the first and basic aspect of reality. In the past issues, the characteristic states of soul, the defining characteristic of soul, classification of souls along with transmigration and rebirth of souls were presented. This segment is devoted to the discussion of various kinds of bodies of worldly beings.
Chapter 2 (continued)
Five kinds of bodies of worldly beings:
AUDAARIKAVAIKRIYIKAAHAARAKATAIJASAKAARMANAANI SHAREERAANI |2-36|
The gross (AUDAARIK), the transformable (VAIKRIYIK), the projectionable or assimilative (AAHAARAK), the luminous (TAIJAS, electric or energetic) and the karmic (KAARMMAAN) are the five kinds of material bodies of the worldly beings.
Bodies are the instruments for the functioning of worldly souls.
The gross body consists of thinly assembled clusters of material particles. It is obstructed by other bodies and material objects, and also obstructs other bodies and objects. Human beings and animals possess gross bodies.
The transformable body, as the name implies, can assume subtle, huge, light, heavy, tall or small form. Heavenly and hellish beings have such bodies.
The projectionable or assimilative body consists of auspicious clusters of matter that are pure and white. It is assumed by an ascetic in the sixth imperfect-vow stage of spiritual development. In this stage an individual practices self-restraint but he/she is not yet free from laxity. The projectionable body is used by individuals for the purpose of acquiring knowledge or for avoiding injury to subtle living beings during transit.
The luminous or energetic body is responsible for brilliance, digestion and other functions of gross body.
The karmic body consists of the collection of material karmas possessed by the worldly soul.
Subtleties of material bodies:
PARAM PARAM SOOKSHAMAMAM |2-37|
The material bodies are more and more subtle successively.
The transformable body is more subtle than the gross body, the projectionable body is more subtle than the transformable body, the luminous body is more subtle than the projectionable body and the karmic body is the most subtle of them all.
Space-iotas in gross, transformable and projectionable bodies:
PRADESHATOASAMKHYEYAGUNAM PRAAK TAIJASAAT |2-38|
Prior to the luminous body, each has innumerable times the number of space-iotas (PRADESH) than the previous one.
The space-iotas in a transformable body are innumerable times the number of space-iotas in a gross body and the space-iotas in a projectionable body are innumerable times those in a transformable body. It should be remarked that the number of space-iotas are not related to the size of the body. The particles may be packed more densely in some bodies than in others.
Space-iotas in luminous and karmic bodies:
ANANTAGUNA PARE |2-39|
The last two have infinite-fold space-iotas.
The space-iotas in luminous and karmic bodies are infinite-fold.
No impediment for the last two kinds of bodies:
APRATEEGHAATE |2-40|
The last two material bodies are without impediment.
The luminous and karmic bodies neither obstruct any other material object, nor are they obstructed by any other material object.
Association from time immemorial:
ANAADISAMBANDHE CHA |2-41|
They have been associated with the soul from time immemorial.
All worldly beings have been associated with luminous and karmic bodies from time immemorial. The material karmas carry the imprints of abstract karmas of a soul, that is, the feelings and thoughts of a worldly soul. That is why worldly souls are involved in the cycles of birth and death. They have possessed karmic bodies since time immemorial. The karmic body is responsible for the physical body of a living being. The physical body needs energy to function and so a living being needs the luminous body.
Association with all worldly souls:
SARVASYA |2-42|
They are associated with all worldly souls.
As explained above, all worldly beings possess luminous and karmic bodies.
Association with up to four material bodies:
TADAADEENI BHAAJYAANI YUGAPADEKASMINNAACHATURBHYAH |2-43|
Starting with the last two, the worldly beings possess a maximum of four kinds of bodies.
The worldly beings can have a maximum of four kinds of bodies simultaneously. All worldly beings have two material bodies, luminous and karmic, of necessity. Some worldly beings possess a total of three kinds of bodies: karmic, luminous and gross, or karmic, luminous and transformable. Certain worldly beings can possess a total of four kinds of bodies: karmic, luminous, gross and transformable, or karmic, luminous, gross and projectionable. The former combination is acquired by certain humans and animals who develop extraordinary power through austerities. The latter combination is acquired by ascetics in the sixth stage of spiritual development.
A worldly being has two kinds of bodies, namely, karmic and luminous, during transmigration (VIGRAH GATI). Human beings and animals have three kinds of bodies, karmic, luminous and gross. Heavenly beings and hellish beings possess three kinds of bodies, karmic, luminous and transformable. Some worldly beings possess four kinds of bodies: karmic, luminous, gross and projectionable or transformable.
The projectionable and transformable bodies do not occur simultaneously. In fact, the characteristics of these two kinds of bodies are similar. They have the capability of assuming different forms such as large or small, subtle or dense.
Karmic body and sensual gratification:
NIRUPABHOGAMANTYAM |2-44|
The karmic body is devoid of sensual gratification (enjoyment).
Evidently, the karmic body is not instrumental in sensual gratification. The rest of the bodies help living beings in experiencing sensual pleasures and pain.
Formation of gross body:
GARBHASAMMOORCHHANAJAMAADYAM |2-45|
The gross body is formed in a womb or spontaneously through agglutination.
As stated earlier, human beings and animals are born in a womb or through agglutination. Therefore, gross bodies are formed in a womb or through agglutination.
Birth of transformable body:
AUPAPAADIKAM VAIKRIYIKAM |2-46|
The transformable body originates through precipitous manifestation.
The heavenly and hellish beings possess transformable body, which is produced through precipitous manifestation.
Alternative attainment of transformable body:
LABDHIPRATYAYAM CHA |2-47|
The transformable body can also be attained through consonant endeavor (LABDHI) such as special austerities.
An alternative means to attain a transformable body entails consonant endeavor - special austerities such as mortification of body and meditation.
Attainment of luminous body:
TAIJASAMAPI |2-48|
The luminous body is formed through consonant endeavor.
All worldly beings indulge in consonant endeavor to a lesser or greater degree and develop luminous bodies as a consequence. Obviously, the efficacy of their luminous bodies depends on the degree of their respective endeavor.
Attainment of projectionable body:
SHUBHAM VISHUDDHAMAVYAAGHAATI CHAAHAARAKAM
PRAMATTASAMYATASYAIVA |2-49|
The projectionable body, which is auspicious, pristine and without impediment, is developed by an aspirant in the sixth stage of spiritual development.
The spiritually advanced ascetics in the sixth stage of spiritual development can attain projectionable bodies. A projectionable body is capable of transit without any obstruction. According to the scriptures, an ascetic employs a projectionable body for auspicious purposes such as seeking knowledge from a distant omniscient and avoiding injury to living beings during transit.
Gender of hellish and spontaneously generated worldly souls:
NAARAKASAMMOORCHCHHINO NAPUMSAKAANI |2-50|
The gender of the hellish beings and the spontaneously generated beings is neuter.
All hellish beings and living beings born through spontaneous agglutination have neuter gender.
Exception for heavenly beings:
NA DEVAAH |2-51|
No heavenly beings have neuter gender.
The heavenly beings are either masculine or feminine. No heavenly being has neuter gender.
Gender of the rest of worldly beings:
SHESHAASTRIVEDAAH |2-52|
The rest of the living beings can have all three genders.
The rest of the living beings are either masculine, feminine or neuter.
No premature death for certain worldly beings:
AUPAPAADIKACHARAMOTTAMADEHAASAMKHYEYAVARSHAAYUSHOANA-
PAVARTYAAYUSHAH |2-53|
The following worldly beings are not prone to premature death: the living beings who are born through precipitous manifestation (AUPAPAADIK), those in their final life-cycle (CHARAMOTTAMADEHA, with superior bodies), and those who have a life-span of innumerable years.
All living beings possess life-span-determining (AAYU) karma. Thus the life-span of each living being is set. However, on account of accident, some natural disaster, improper treatment during sickness, or other causes, a living being may face a premature death, except for the following categories of worldly beings:
The heavenly and hellish beings who are born through precipitous manifestation do not meet premature death.
The supreme human beings (ARIHANTs) are in their final life-cycle. In other words, they attain salvation during their present life. Such great souls attain NIRVANA only at the end of the life-span set by their life-span-determining karma.
There are living beings who have a life-span of innumerable years. They too do not meet premature death.
It should be emphasized that some of the metaphysical concepts presented in the second chapter of TATTVAARTH SUTRA can be reconciled with the premises of modern science, while others are at variance with modern science. Nevertheless, it is evident that the logical structure and the level of sophistication of Jain metaphysics is exceptional. The eminent acharyas have demonstrated a penetrating insight in systematizing these concepts of reality.
Footnotes:
Based on the following commentaries on TATTVAARTH SUTRA:
TATTVAARTH SUTRA by Acharya Umaswati, commentary by Pandit Sukh Lal Sanghvi, English translation by K. K. Dixit, published by L. D. Institute of Indology, Ahmedabad, 1974.
TATTVAARTH SUTRA by Acharya Umaswati, commentary by Pandit Phool Chandra Siddhantacharya, published by Varni Granthmala, Varanasi, 1949.
TATTVAARTH SUTRA by Acharya Umaswati, commentary by Pandit Mohan Lal Shastri, published by Saral Jain Granth Bhandar, Jabalpur, 1983.
Reality, English translation of Acharya Pujya Pad's SARVAARTHASIDDHI by S. A. Jain, published by Vir Sasana Sangha, Calcutta, 1960.
'That Which Is', a commentary on TATTVAARTH SUTRA by Dr Nath Mal Tatia, published by Harper Collins, 1994.