________________
environment and ecology. Jain seers attach great importance to the welfare of plant and other one sensed jivas and produced sacred laws for the care of the natural world. In this way Jains uphold the moral, ethical, mental, and physical values of civilized society. Jain ethical values have paid the highest regards to all forms of life and helped to maintain the peace in the society.
Plant body and Human body
Among the immobile beings, the plant-bodied beings have manifest consciousness. The comparison of the human body with plant body has been described in Acārānga as follows:
1. As the human body is subject to birth, so the plant-body exhibits signs of birth.
2. As the human body grows up, so does the plant-body.
3. As the human is endowed with consciousness and is possessed of the power of cognition, so is the plant-body.
In this way the characteristics of birth, growth, nutrition, metabolism, death, disease, the states of childhood, adulthood and the like consciousness and the like are the most obvious items are described. The comparison of the plant body with human organism in this context attracts the attention of the modern scholars. Suffering is to be avoided, happiness is to be sought for, is the theme of the ethics of conduct. Acārānga, therefore describes the details of hostile weapons to the immobile beings.
Jivas
1. Earthly
2. Water
3. Fire
4. Air
5. Plants.
Jain Education International
Weapons
A plough, and axe, a spade etc Sprinkling, filtering, cleaning etc.
sand, water, wet plants etc. fans, aroma, fire, hostile air etc Scissors, axe, stone, fire, stick etc.
- 75
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
