[Alay]

Hi All,

You have probably heard of a woman who was reported to be comatose for the last 14 years, being sexually assaulted and giving birth to a baby (https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/23/health/arizona-woman-birth-vegetative-state/index.html).

I was curious about the gandhabba in such a situation. Given that the woman was in a vegetative state for the last 14 years (as per news items), and since she is also comatose, how would a gandhabba be attracted to create life? Is it that even if a person is in such a state, the “mind” is still active but the “Physical” brain is damaged and no signals can come out?

Kind regards

Alay.

[Tien]

Hi Alay, you said “the “mind” is still active but the “Physical” brain is damaged and no signals can come out?”

I think the “mind” cannot be active in the case of total brain damage, because vinnana cannot exist separately from other 4 khanda (rupa, sanna, vedana, sankhara). In the case serve brain damage, internal sense fields (ajjhatika ayatana) is not function, so the whole chain of dependant reactions will be collapsed, refer to Chachakka Sutta (MN148). They only alive due to the continuation of life-indriya.

About the post you mentioned, it writes:
”
Family says woman is not in a coma
…
The woman’s parents said in a statement Tuesday that she has “significant intellectual disabilities” but is able to move and respond to sound.
“The victim’s parents would like to make clear that their daughter is not in a coma,” said the statement released to CNN by the attorney for the parents. “She has significant intellectual disabilities as a result of seizures very early in her childhood.”
The woman does not speak but has some ability to move her limbs, head and neck. She also “responds to sound and is able to make facial gestures.”
“She has feelings, likes to be read to, enjoys soft music and is capable of responding to people she is familiar with, especially family,” the parents said.
“The important thing is that she is a beloved daughter, albeit with significant intellectual disabilities.”
“

[Lal]

Tien is correct in saying that since she is responding she is generating thoughts (and that would require at least one of the six sense inputs must be coming in), some parts of her brain must be working.

However, even if the woman is totally unconscious, as long as the body temperature does not drop (and the body does not start to decay), she is alive. As long as she is alive, she is able to conceive.

A gandhabba only needs a “zygote” (right chemical composition) to take possession of. That is why it can happen even outside the womb (artificial insemination).

If the woman is truly dead, then the eggs in her womb will also start decaying along with her physical body. In that case, they would not be able to combine with a sperm and make a zygote.

[Alay]

Thank you Tien and Lal for your responses. It does make sense.

Regards

Alay

[Author]

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