Prof. Dr. Sohan Raj Tater
It is stated that there are ten types of prāṇa (living material or life force). [65]
- Five indriyaprāṇas (life force of five senses)
- Ucchvāṣa prāṇa (life force of respiration)
- Āyuṣya prāṇa (life force of length of life)
- Manobala prāṇa (life force of mind)
- Vacanabala prāṇa (life force of speech)
- Kāyābala (life force of body).
Actual speaking these ten prāṇas are almost contained in six paryāptis as follow:
- Indriyaparyāpti - contains five indriyaprāṇas.
- Anapānaparyāpti - ucchvaṣaprāṇa.
- Sarīraparyāpti - kayāpraṇa.
- Bhāsāparyāpti - vākaprāṇa.
- Manaḥaparyāpti - maṇahaprāṇa.
Thus, it is found that most of the paryāptis and prāṇas have common names. So the question is whether there is any difference between them? Gommatāsāra explains the difference in the way that any paryāpti is attainment of the capacity of developing body, mind, speech and five senses while prāṇa is the activity of those functionaries.
It is further explained that
- One sensed being - has four prāṇas or balas (life forces) viz. sense of touch, respiration, length of life and body.
- Two sensed beings - have six prāṇas viz. senses of touch and taste, respiration, length of life, body and speech.
- Three sensed beings - have seven prāṇas viz. senses of touch, taste and smell, respiration, length of life, body and speech.
- Four sensed beings - have eight prāṇas viz. senses of touch, taste, smell and sight, respiration, length of life, body and speech.
- Asaṁjñī pancendriya jīva (five sensed being having no physical mind but psychical mind has) - have nine prānas viz. senses of touch, taste, smell, sight and hearing, respiration, length of life, body and speech.
- Saṁjñi pancendriya jīva (five sensed beings having physical mind and psychical mind) viz. senses of touch, taste, smell, sight and hearing, respiration, length of life, body, speech and mind.[66]
Footnotes
Doctoral Thesis, JVBU