Philosophy In Jain Agams: Ṣaḍjīvanikāya: Trasa and Sthāvara

The division of ṣaḍjīvanikāya has been mentioned in Uttarādhyayana sūtra in two classes - sthāvara and trasa. There pṛthvīkāya, apkāya and vegetations are called sthāvara^[1], tejaskāya, vāyukāya and udāra trasa are categorised under the divisions of trasa.^[2]

The same description of trasa and sthāvara is available in Sthānāṅga. There also tejaskāya, vāyukāya and udāra (gross) trasa bodies are called trasa and pṛthvīkāya, apkāya and vegetation are called sthāvara.^[3] There is a mention of two types of worldly living beings from the divisions of trasa and sthāvara in Jīvājīvābhigama.^[4] In this agama also, the pṛthvīkāya, apkāya and vegetation bodies are called sthāvara^[5] and fire, air and gross trasa are mentioned in the trasa class.^[6] This division of trasa and sthāvara is the same as mentioned in the Uttarādhyayana. The same description is also available in the Tattvārtha Sūtra.^[7] Though the trasa accepted in digambara tradition has a difference in this regard. There the earthbodied etc. (one sensed beings) are called sthāvara and two sensed to five sensed beings etc. are called trasa.^[8]

There are two divisions of living beings in Sthānāṅga - trasa and sthāvara. Both of these are further divided into two divisions there i.e. bhavasiddhika (one who  is  worthy  of attaining liberation) and abhavasiddhika (unfit for liberation).^[9] In the fifth chapter of Sthānāṅga, there is a mention of five sthāvarakāya and their masters but those names are different.^[10] It has been mentioned in the Ṭīkā of Sthānāṅga that indra, brahma, shilpa, sammati and prajāpatya are mentioned as earth, water, fire, air and vegetation respectively. It is said in the Ṭīkā of Sthānāṅga that as Indra and fire are the masters of directions, and as Ashvi, Yam, Dahan are the masters of stars and śakra and iśāna are the masters of south and north loka respectively, in the same way Indra, brahma, shilpa, sammati and prajapatya are the masters of five sthāvarakāyas.^[11] How the names of sthāvara kāya found in Sthānāṅga show consistency with the popular names, is not mentioned in the commentary of Sthānāṅga. These are called by certain names - only this has been mentioned and detailed description in the context of sthāvarakāya is not available anywhere else except Sthānāṅga. Why does Sthānāṅga mentions the different names for sthāvarakāya rather than popular names, is a point for further research.