The Doctrine of the Jainas, Described after the Old Sources c8.105

c8.105

One list of 16 different diseases is rendered by Āyār. I 27, 16ff. while another one is delivered by Vivāgas. 40b. Here we come across physicians trying to practise their profession in many different ways. In this connexion we may note that, as Thāṇ. 427 has it, the main subjects of therapeutics are the following eight: the science of children's complaints (kumāra-bhicca), the science of internal diseases (kāya-tigicchā), surgery both small and large (salā and salla-hattā), toxicology (jangoli), psychotherapeutics (bhūya-vijjā), the science of cautery (khara-tanta), and elexirology (rasāyaṇa). They are nearly conform with the eight parts of the so-called Ayurveda (JOLLY, Medicin, Grundriss III 10, P. 13). Medical science (tigicchiya), by the way, plainly appertains to the pāva-suya-pasanga¹ (Thāṇ. 451a). As to the causes of diseases Thāṇ. 446a lists the following nine: a sedentary way of living (accāsaṇā), bad food, too much sleep, too little sleep, constipation, anury, marching (addhāṇa-gamaṇa), sitophobia, and the addiction to sensual enjoyments (indiy'attha-vikovaṇayā). The subdivision (Thāṇ. 265a) into vāiya-, pittiya-and simbhiya-diseases and such in which different factors referred to in this connexion take a share, goes back to the all-Indian system. Viy. 634 a (=Thāṇ. 265a) says that madness (ummāya) ensues from being possessed by somebody (jakkh'āvesa) or either from the realisation of the so-called Confusing Karman (§ 87),² the former kind being more pleasant (suhaveyaṇatarāga) and the one to get rid of more easily (suhavi-moyaṇatarāga) than the latter. The state of being possessed by something is brought about, so the author adds, by a god sending impure atoms (asubhe poggale pakkhivai) which are stronger with inhabitants of hell and gods (mahiddhiyatarāga) than with elemental beings (!), animals and men. The idea probably is that, in agreement with the conceptions of all primitives, the material body of a malignant individual takes possession of a sound one. In Kappa 6, 12 we find *jakkh’aiṭṭha* and *ummāya-paṭṭa* being listed side by side. In this connexion the Yakṣa is not classed as a benevolent being as he is among the Vāṇamantara-Gods (§ 112), but stems from the field of popular belief. That a Kevalin were possessed by a Yakṣa was a contention established by antagonists (Viy. 749a) probably judging by outward appearance and at any rate intending to deprive his maxims of their credulity.