The Doctrine of the Jainas, Described after the Old Sources c8.223

c8.223

§94. Next to the purely systematical representation Viy. gives a number of more lively informations serving confirmation, a fact from which we may conclude that in those days this assertion was considered a novelty. Expressly it was disbelief that caused the teaching (Viy. 739 b) that an earth-,water- or plant-being in its next existence (*uvvaṭṭittā*) could come to appear in a human shape and gain the Kevala cognition. The phenomenon of the hot spring at the foot of the Vebhāra near Rāyagiha (Viy. 141 a) is brought about by numerous souls destined to have a hot place of origin, and atoms assembling (*usiṇa-joṇiyā jīvā ya poggalā ya*) and forming water (*udagaṭṭāe vakkamanti viukkamanti cayanti uvavajjanti*)²; rain originates from the formation of water by *udaga-joṇiya*-souls and -atoms; plants live most intensively in summer because then many souls enter into plants (vaṇassaikāyattāe vakk. Viy. 300 a). An animal may have experienced the existence of hell, as have the elephant Udāi and his colleague Bhūyāṇanda (Viy. 720 a), who both, however, will find salvation in their next existence. A god, circumstances permitting, may materialize as a serpent, a precious stone or as a tree (Viy. 581 b). To enter into a lower stage of existence (aviukkantiyam cayamāṇe) causes shame, discomfort and vexation within him (Viy. 86 a). Viy. in 652 b minutely depicts the next form of existence pertaining to a Sal-tree or -twig, etc. By example of an extensive list of plants, first of all trees, Viy. 21-23 (Viy. 800 a ff.) show that plant souls come from the animal- or man-stage, though it has to be noted that here the emphasis is on the simultaneity of the incarnation partly basing on the fact that certain plants are the bearers of several or many souls (§ 106)—so acc. to Viy. 508 b the uppala and others are bearers of as many souls as they have leaves (patta)—, and that, acc. to Viy. 800 a, root, branch, bark, etc. each contain one soul. But as is maintained by Viy. 796 b; Ṭhāṇ. 104 b, also all other beings are given the possibility to reincarnate simultaneously and, what is more, to do so by changing their stages (for them see above). In contrast to those that do so individually (avvattaga-saṃciya) those that in a number of x enter into a new stage simultaneously are called kati-saṃciya, and those that do so in a number of ¿ akati-s. The occurence of groups of six (chakka-samajjiya), 12 and 84 is treated with all the delight taken in such calculations, the same that equally shows up in Viy. 31 (948 a f.) from the point of view of the sum (§ 21) of beings.