Philosophy In Jain Agams: Vāyukāya (Air bodied being)

Air is called Vayukāya. Living beings, whose body is air itself are called Vāyukāyika. Utkalikā, Manḍalikā etc. are the different types of air. Air cannot be perceived through eyes. It is felt by the sense of touch. Generating air from fan like sources destroys vāyukāyika jīva. The self restraint monk does not wish to have air from fans, because it causes violence of air-bodied beings. It is a sinful action. The ascetic, who is a protector of the six bodied beings does not kill the beings of air.^[1]

Weapons for Vāyukāya

In the Ācārāṅga Niryukti, the followings are mentioned as weapons that cause injury to the air-bodied beings:^[2]

1. The generator of air current - viz. fan, palm fan, winnowing basket, fly whisks, leaf, corner of a garment.
2. Stationing oneself - It means standing against the air current, when one is perspiring.
3. Fragrance of sandalwood, Andropogon muricatus and other fragrant root of the plant.
4. Fire - flame and heat.
5. Homogeneous weapon - The opposites viz. the cold and the hot air are mutual weapons.