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Scientific Secrets of Jainism
enormous controversy ranging in archaeological circles over the claim of some archaeologists that carbon-14 dating is incorrect by thousands of years, not hundreds of years as was previously thought." (p. 20).
From this reference we can say that in determining the time of ancient fossils according to this method miscalculations of not hundreds or thousands of years but of lacs of years has been made. Therefore, the fossils which we believe, according to this can be at least three or four hundred thousand years old can be at least 3 or 4 thousand million years old. fore, the possibility that the dinosaurs belong to the times not prior to 7 hundred million years but to the time of three Sägar Öpama years, should not be ruled out.
Similarly, it is not proper to entertain any doubts about the hight of the great men. On the contrary, it is necessary to prove this in a scientific way.
Bulbous roots :
A number of questions are raised about bulbous roots i.e. modifications of roots. It is said that if there were micro-organisms in bulbous roots they would certainly be seen through a microscope as bacteria are seen in curds. But this is a very wrong belief. Bacteria etc. being two-sensed organisms can be seen distinctly in a state of motion in curds. But the plant itself is a living being and, therefore, there is no question of seeing micro-organisms in it through a microscope. The plant kingdom is of two types:
1. Pratyēka Vanaspatikāya (having a single soul in a single body of plant, seed, root, flower, leaves and fruit) and 2. Sādhāraņa Vanaspatikāya (having infinite souls in a single body or cell of a plant). In Pratyēka Vanaspatikāya every soul has his own independent body and in Sādhārana Vanaspatikāya, infinite souls have only a single common body. It means that there are infinite souls in a single body or cell. The fruits, flowers, leaves, roots etc. that we see make the body of the plant lives. Can soul be seen as different from the body through a microscope? According to modern science every living being has basic cells of body. Billions of such cells join together and make the body of a living organism or an animal. Again every cell is a living cell. Not only all the cells of potatoes etc. are living cells but also every cell has infinite lives i.e. souls in it. That is why bulbous roots are regarded as unfit to be eaten.
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