Bhagavati-sutra (Viyaha-pannatti)
by K. C. Lalwani | 1973 | 185,989 words
The English translation of the Bhagavati-sutra which is the fifth Jaina Agama (canonical literature). It is a large encyclopedic work in the form of a dialogue where Mahavira replies to various question. The present form of the Sutra dates to the fifth century A.D. Abhayadeva Suri wrote a vritti (commentary) on the Bhagavati in A.D. 1071. In his J...
Part 3 - On the state of pregnancy
Q. 241. Bhante! An embryo entering in the womb—is it with organs of senses, or without organs of senses?
A. 241. Gautama! To some extent (it is) with organs of senses, and to some extent without them.
Q. 242. Why is it so?
A. 242. Gautama! As for objective organs, it is without organs of senses; as for the subjective, with organs of senses. Hence so149.
Q. 243. Bhante! An embryo entering in the womb—does it do so with body, or without body?
A. 243. Gautama! To some extent with body and to some extent without body?
Q. 244. Why is it so?
A. 244. Gautama! From the standpoint of gross, fluid and assimilative body, it is without a body; but from the standpoint of caloric and kārmaṇ body, it is with body. Hence, Gautama, it is so150.
Q. 245. Bhante! When entering in the womb, what’s its first intake?
A. 245. Gautama! Its first intake is mother’s blood and the father’s semen—kaluṣa and kilviṣa,—which are the first intake on entering the mother’s womb.
Q. 246. Bhante! What is its intake after it is lodged in the womb?
A. 246. Gautama! Along with the mother’s blood, it takes a part of the substance from the mother’s multifarious intakes.
Q. 247. Bhante! Does the soul lodged iṇ the womb have stool, urine, phlegm, nose mucus, vomiting and bile?
A. 247. It does not have them.
Q. 248. How is it so?
A. 248. Gautama! The intake and its transformation that the soul has after being lodged in the womb go in to form its organ of touch, bones, marrows, hairs, beard, pore-hairs and nails. Hence (it has no excreta).
Q. 249. Bhante! Is the soul lodged in the womb capable of taking morsel-food by the mouth?
A. 249. Gautama! This is not correct.
Q. 250. Why is it not correct?
A. 250. Gautama! The soul lodged in the womb has intake by its whole frame, transforms it by its whole frame, inhales by its whole frame, exhales by its whole frame, has intake very often, transformation very often, inhales very often, exhales very often, has intake at times, transforms it at times, inhales at times, exhales at times. And then there is a tissue sprouting from the mother which derives the elixir from the mother and supplies it to the child, and this is linked with the mother’s vital organ, and this also touches the child. With this tissue, the child derives intake and transforms it. There is another tissue which issues forth from the child’s vital organ and touches the mother. This helps the child in the absorption and assimilation of the intake. For this, Gautama,.,.till the soul lodged in the womb is not capable of taking morsel-food by the mouth.
Notes (based on commentary of Abhayadeva Sūri):
149. Objective sense-organs are made of matter and have two parts called nirvṛtti (external shape) and upakaraṇa (their auxiliary parts). Subjective sense-organs too have two parts, viz., labdhi (power) and upayoga (cognition). Objective organs exist with the body only, but subjective organs exist with the soul even when the body is given up.
150. While entering the womb, the soul has only the caloric and kārmaṇ bodies, not the gross, assimilative or fluid.