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## 234/Go. Sa. Jirkaand
## Gatha 165-167
**Doubt:** How can touch residing in atoms be called touch, when it cannot be perceived by the sense organs?
**Solution:** No, because the ability to be perceived by the sense organs is not always present in atomic touch.
**Doubt:** Touch residing in atoms is never perceivable by the sense organs.
**Solution:** No, because when atoms become gross and quantifiable, the qualities residing in them become perceivable by the sense organs.
**Doubt:** Which are the one-sense beings?
**Solution:** Earth, water, fire, air, and plants are the five one-sense beings.
**Doubt:** How do we know that these five have only one sense of touch and no other senses?
**Solution:** No, because there is a statement in the ancient scriptures that says that earth and other one-sense beings have only one sense of touch.
**Doubt:** What is that ancient statement?
**Solution:** That statement is:
"Jagadi passavi bhujavi sevdi pasivien ekken.
Kunedi ya tassamittam thayaru einvito ten." ||135||
**Meaning:** Because stationary beings perceive, eat, drink, and enjoy only through one sense of touch, they are one-sense beings.
**Or,** it is known from the statement "Vanaspatiyantanaamekam" in the Tattvartha Sutra that they have only one sense of touch. The meaning of this Sutra is as follows: The word "ant" has multiple meanings. Sometimes it means a part, like "Vastrant" meaning a part of a cloth. Sometimes it means proximity, like "Udakant gamta" meaning going near water. Sometimes it means the end, like "Sansarant gamta" meaning reaching the end of the world. Here, the intended meaning of the word "ant" is the end. This means that beings up to plants have only one sense of touch.
**Doubt:** Beings from earth to plants have one of the five senses, because "ek" does not indicate only one sense of touch, it is a general number, so one of the five senses can be perceived?
1. Gh.Pu. 1 Pr. 236, Pra.Pan.Sa. 1/66.
2. T.Su.Pr. 2 Sutra 22.