Tattvartha Sutra (with commentary)
by Vijay K. Jain | 2018 | 130,587 words | ISBN-10: 8193272625 | ISBN-13: 9788193272626
This page describes passage from one birth to another which is verse 2.30 of the English translation of the Tattvartha Sutra which represents the essentials of Jainism and Jain dharma and deals with the basics on Karma, Cosmology, Ethics, Celestial beings and Liberation. The Tattvarthasutra is authorative among both Digambara and Shvetambara. This is verse 30 of the chapter Category of the Living and includes an extensive commentary.
Verse 2.30 - Passage from one birth to another
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Tattvartha sūtra 2.30:
एकं द्वौ त्रीन्वाऽनाहारकः ॥ २.३० ॥
ekaṃ dvau trīnvā'nāhārakaḥ || 2.30 ||
For one, two or three instants (samaya) the soul remains non-assimilative–anāhāraka. (30)
Hindi Anvayarth:
अन्वयार्थ: विग्रहगति में [एकं द्वौ वा तीन्] एक दो अथवा तीन समय तक [अनाहारकः] जीव अनाहारक रहता है।
Anvayartha: vigrahagati mem [ekam dvau va tin] eka do athava tina samaya taka [anaharakah] jiva anaharaka rahata hai |
Explanation in English from Ācārya Pūjyapāda’s Sarvārthasiddhi:
It is said that in the beginningless convention of karmic bondage, the soul, owing to its wrong-faith, etc., takes in karmic matter at all times. Does the soul take in matter during its passage from one birth to another?
Instant (samaya) is supplied from the previous sūtra. This particle ‘vā’ indicates alternative meaning. The alternative is to be taken as intended. For one, two, or three instants the soul does not take in molecules of matter. ‘Āhāraka’ is taking in of matter fit for the three kinds of bodies and the six kinds of completion. Without taking in of such matter, the soul remains ‘anāhāraka’ during this time. However, the taking in of karmas is incessant, as there is the associated karmic-body (kārmaṇa śarīra). In straight movement towards the seat of birth, the soul takes in matter; it is ‘āhāraka’. In the other three instants the soul does not assimilate matter.