Acharya Mahaprajna
There is a description of the life-span of the goods in the Samavayanga Agama. There is also a mention of the days of their inhalation and exhalation! Some of them breathe in five days, some in ten days, some in fifteen or thirty days The longer the life-span, the longer also the duration of the breathing. Or, it may be said that the longer the duration of the breathing, the longer the life-span. This means that a long life-span is related to the breathing. If the duration of the breathing is short, and imbalanced, the life-span is also short. The longer the duration of the breathing, the longer is the life-span. Although man's life-span is related to the atoms of karma, it is through the breathing process that those atoms are experienced. The breathing process determines the period during which those atoms of karma have to be experienced. When the breathing and the long life-span are so related, the relation between the breathing and health becomes automatically clear. If the breathing is not proper, the life-span can never be long. If the breathing is proper, the life-span would also be proper. The breathing and the life-span, the breathing and health, the breathing and the emotions are all inter-related. This forms a complete chain. That is why the breathing cannot be neglected white thinking about health.
In the modern times, the question on health has been considered from several points of view. Serious thought has been given on how man can remain healthy with the help of proper diet, sleep and way of living. But the breathing, which is the basic factor that determines one's state of health, has been neglected. If the breathing is imbalanced, one can never be in good health. The breathing brings about the balance of the colours in our body. The colours are the constituents of health.
The endocrine glands and the network of arteries are related to the breathing. When there is the balance of the colours, the endocrine glands is also balanced. The balance of the colours also keeps the network of arteries in a Healthy state. Oxygen and blood are required most of all by the brain. It needs 20 per cent blood and oxygen. It is through the breathing process that blood and oxygen are carried to the brain. It is the breathing that distributes oxygen and blood through out the body.
