Acharya Mahaprajna
Our body is paudgalik 'Varna Gandha-rasa-sparshavaan Pudgala i.e., embodying all the attributes of matter such as colour, taste and touch, it is called pudgala. All these characteristics are found in the respiration. Therefore, respiration is paudgalik.
Gautama asked Bhagvan Mahavira, "O Lord! Do all living creatures breathe? If they do, in what manner?" Bhagvan Mahavira answered this question from four points of view from the points of view of
- dravya (substance)
- kshetra (region)
- kala (time)
- Bhava (emotion).
Answering the question from the point of view of the bhava, Bhagvan Mahavira said,
Bhavao vannmantaim, Gandhmantaim, Rasamamtaim fasamantaim Anamanti VA Panamanti VA Usasantiva NisasantiVa... (Bhaga2/3, 4...)
Every living creature inhales and exhales. Its breathing contains the characteristics of matter such as the colour, smell, taste and touch. Just as the body has the colour, smell, taste and touch, the breath too has all these four characteristics. A being does not merely breathe. It also absorbs pudgala with its colour, smell, taste and touch. Five colours, two smells, five tastes, and four or eight touch are present in the breath. When man's emotions are pure, his breath has the beneficial colour, smell, taste and touch. When his emotions are impure, the pudgalas having harmful colour, smell, taste and touch are beneficial, the condition of good health exists and when the colour, smell, taste and touch are harmful, health deteriorates.
