Shatjivnikay Me Tras Evam Sthavar Ke Vargikaran Ki Samasya - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary in English of the provided Jain text, "Shatjivnikay me Tras evam Sthavar ke Vargikaran ki Samasya" by Sagarmal Jain:

This text, "Shatjivnikay me Tras evam Sthavar ke Vargikaran ki Samasya" (The Problem of Classification of Trasa and Sthavara in the Six Life-Bodies), authored by Sagarmal Jain, delves into the historical evolution of classifying living beings into Trasa (mobile) and Sthavara (immobile) within Jain tradition. The article highlights varying interpretations and classifications across different ancient Jain scriptures and schools of thought.

The core concept of Shatjivnikay (six types of life-bodies) – Earth-bodied, Water-bodied, Fire-bodied, Air-bodied, Vegetation-bodied, and Trasa (two-sensed beings and above) – is identified as a foundational and ancient concept in Jainism. These are discussed as having life, with Sthavara generally referring to Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Vegetation. While the existence of life in vegetation and beings with two or more senses is universally accepted, the Jain tradition uniquely considers Earth, Water, Fire, and Air themselves to be inherently living.

The article then examines the classification problem through various key scriptures:

Acharanga Sutra: This scripture details the Shatjivnikay but does not explicitly classify them into Trasa and Sthavara. However, the order in which the six are presented suggests that Earth, Water, Fire, and Vegetation were considered Sthavara, while Air and Trasa were classified differently. The author infers that based on the structured discussion of violence in the first chapter, the Acharanga likely considered Air to be Trasa and the other four (Earth, Water, Fire, Vegetation) as Sthavara. There's a minor ambiguity where a different section could imply that five, excluding the Earth-bodied, might be Sthavara.
Rishibhashita: This scripture mentions Shatjivnikay and the term Trasa but does not offer a classification between Trasa and Sthavara.
Uttaradhyayana Sutra: The 26th chapter mentions the Shatjivnikay in an order that suggests Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Vegetation are Sthavara and the sixth category (Trasa) is Trasa. However, the 36th chapter presents a different classification, dividing the Shatjivnikay into Trasa and Sthavara. Here, Earth, Water, and Vegetation are classified as Sthavara, while Fire, Air, and Trasa are classified as Trasa. This divergence is significant, as the Uttaradhyayana places Fire in the Trasa category, whereas the Acharanga might have considered it Sthavara. This latter classification aligns with the Tattvartha Sutra (as per the Shvetambara tradition) and its commentary.
Dashavaikalika Sutra: The fourth chapter, dedicated to the Shatjivnikay, does not explicitly classify them. However, the order of presentation implies that Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Vegetation are considered Sthavara. This aligns with the 26th chapter of the Uttaradhyayana but differs from the 36th chapter.
Jivabhigama: This scripture, as well as the Prajnapana, discusses life-forms based on the number of senses. The Jivabhigama explicitly classifies Earth, Water, and Vegetation as Sthavara, and Fire, Air, and two-sensed beings (and above) as Trasa. This viewpoint is similar to the 36th chapter of the Uttaradhyayana. The commentary by Malayagiri explains that Trasa beings are those that move willingly, and Fire and Air are considered Trasa in terms of mobility, although they can be Sthavara based on labdhi (supernatural powers).
Tattvartha Sutra: In the Shvetambara-accepted text and commentary by Umāsvāti, Earth, Water, and Vegetation are classified as Sthavara, while Fire, Air, and two-sensed beings are classified as Trasa. This aligns with the 36th chapter of the Uttaradhyayana and places Fire within the Trasa category, differing from the potential interpretation of the Acharanga. In the Digambara tradition, the Tattvartha Sutra commentary (Sarvarthasiddhi) and other commentaries generally consider Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Vegetation as the five Sthavara.
Panchastikaya: Kundakunda's Panchastikaya presents a perspective that differs from the general Digambara view of five Sthavara. Kundakunda identifies Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Vegetation as single-sensed beings. Among these, Earth, Water, and Vegetation are stated to have Sthavara bodies, while Air and Fire are considered Trasa. This aligns with the Shvetambara Tattvartha Sutra and the Uttaradhyayana.

Historical Evolution of Classification:

The article traces the evolution of this classification:

Initially, the Acharanga might have considered Earth, Water, Fire, and Vegetation as Sthavara and Air as Trasa.
Later, the Uttaradhyayana classified Earth, Water, and Vegetation as Sthavara, and Fire and Air as Trasa. The reasoning for classifying Fire as Trasa is attributed to the observed gradual movement in its burning process.
This classification of Fire and Air as Trasa is further supported by Umāsvāti's Tattvartha Sutra and Kundakunda's Panchastikaya.

Digambara Tradition and the "Karma" Basis:

The Digambara tradition's Dhavala commentary on the Shatkhandagama discusses the classification of Trasa and Sthavara at length. To resolve the issue of why Air and Fire, which exhibit mobility, are considered Sthavara, the Dhavala proposes that the basis for classification is not mobility but the presence of Sthavara namakarma (subsidiary karma that determines one's type of existence). This interpretation posits that beings with the Sthavara namakarma are Sthavara. This approach aims to reconcile the general understanding of five Sthavara with scriptures that might imply otherwise due to mobility. The Dhavala author thus modifies the definition of Sthavara to be those who have the Sthavara namakarma as opposed to those who are stationary.

Later Developments and Reconciliation:

The article notes that later commentaries, like Jayasena's on Panchastikaya, reconcile the classification by differentiating between Nischaya (ultimate reality) and Vyavahara (conventional reality). According to this view, Earth, Water, and Vegetation are Sthavara by Nischaya (due to Sthavara namakarma), while Air and Fire, due to their visible motion, are considered Trasa by Vyavahara.

The author concludes that the initial co-mention of all five one-sensed beings alongside Trasa beings in ancient scriptures likely referred to their one-sensed nature rather than their Sthavara classification. The issue arose because Trasa was clearly defined for two-sensed beings and above. This led to the inference that all one-sensed beings were Sthavara. The basis for calling them Sthavara shifted from their stationary nature to the presence of Sthavara namakarma.

Ultimately, the article demonstrates that the classification of Trasa and Sthavara has undergone significant changes and interpretations throughout Jain textual history, with the concept of the five Sthavara becoming firmly established in both Shvetambara and Digambara traditions over time. The text also touches upon the concept of Pudgala (matter) in Jainism, describing it as the fundamental component of the material world and the basis of sensory experience.