Paryāpti (पर्याप्ति) means “completeness”. It is bio-potential power (vital force) of the consciousness (soul). It means accumulation of pudgala (matter) at the very beginning of re-birth and the capacity of the soul to transform matter into its relevant utility (functionality) described below. Thus, it is a mechanism whereby the soul acquires, transforms and discards different particles of matter.
It is six fold as follows:
- Āhāra (आहार) → aliment / food / nourishment.
- This is the power to appropriate, transform and eliminate food required for sustenance. For example, we consume food from which the body derives proteins, vitamins, etc and waste products are excreted.
- This occurs within 1 samay (instantaneously) at the moment of re-birth, whilst the others can complete within 48 minutes
- Sārira (शारीर)→ body
- This is the power to convert the assimilated food into enzymes, blood, fat, bones, marrow, semen, etc.
- Indriya (इन्द्रिय) → senses
- This is the power to convert particles of matter into relevant sense organs e.g. skin for touch, nose for smelling, eyes for seeing, etc
- Svāsa (श्वास) → inhalation & ucchavāsa (उच्छवास) → exhalation
- This is the power for respiration to occur for a living organism
- Bhāsā (भाषा) → speech
- This is the power for particles of matter to be converted into language / speech
- Mana (मन) → mind
- This is the power for particles of matter and convert them into mind
All life forms have a minimum of 4 paryāptis.
- 1 sensed beings have four paryāptis → Āhāra, Sārira, Indriya & Svāsocchovāsa
- 2 to 5 sensed beings without a mind will have in addition Bhāsā paryāpti so a total of five paryāptis
- 5 sensed beings with a mind will have all 6 paryāptis
All living beings can be seggragated into two division: paryāpta and aparyāpta.
Paryāpata means that the soul has completed all the bio-potential it has been endowed with or will do so during its lifespan, whereas aparyāpta means that soul has not been able to realise the full potential of all the pāryaptis according to its reincarnation and will not be able to do so during its lifespan.
For Jains, paryāpti is a unique force associated with life / control of life and is not explainable in terms of Physics or Chemistry.
I apologise and seek pardon for any unintentional errors in the above post.
