The Doctrine of the Jainas, Described after the Old Sources c8.62

c8.62

§64. The description in the text of embryo-life nearly always concerns the human germ. An animal embryo (*tirikkha-joṇiya gabbha*) exists between 1 *muh.* and 8 years, a human one (*maṇussi-g.*) between 1 *muh.* and 12 years, and a fully developed fruit (? *kāya-bhavattha*) between 1 *muh.* and 24 years. This conception is obviously related to the informations rendered by Viy. 88b saying what evil and good is being practised by a *jīva gabbha-gaya samāṇa*, and of what kind his reward will be when he dies as such a one. Human and animal sperm lives in the womb from 1 to 12 hours (*Viy.* 433a; *Tand.* 4b²). Cases of getting with child and of its counterpart, negative sexual intercourse, are dealt with by *Thāṇ.* 312b along with their causes. The first food an embryo (*jīva*) takes after having entered the womb consists in the menstrual blood of the mother (*māu-oya*) together with the sperm of the father (*Sūy.* II 3, 21); 353b), but later it varies. It is not taken by bits, but by the entire body (§ 96), and while nothing is being excreted, all serves to build up the sensuous organs and the body. Mother and fruit are interconnected by two strings: the one (*māu-jīva-rasa-hāriṇī* scil. *nāli* ?) starts from the mother and serves the fruit to breathe and to transubstantiate the different substances, whereas the other (*putta-j.-r.-h.*) starts from the fruit and serves it in building up the body (*ciṇai, uvaciṇai*). While flesh, blood and brain come from the mother (*māiy’aṅga, Thāṇ.* 170b *māuy’a.*), bones, marrow, hair and nails come from the father (*piy’a.*). These parental gifts (*ammā-piiya sarīraya*) will endure as long as the body of the descendant remains unweakened (*avavaṇṇa*). The main source for the afore-said is *Viy.* 87a, partly also *Tand.* 7a, 8a.