Ahimsa the Science of Peace

Author(s): Surendra Bothra
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

Page 65

lution, whereas the higher forms of life exist mainly in their final evolved stage.
All organisms from algae to giant trees are composed of cells. In the plant kingdom many of the most primitive living things are simply single cells. Each cell is able to carry out the same basic functions as the whole plant. It must breathe, feed itself and reproduce. When there is a change in environment the cell either adjusts to continue these functions of life under new conditions or it dies.
This micro world of the living organisms, evolved through the chain ---- Chemo-bacteria to Bacteria to Photobacteria to Stafilis Bacilli etc., should be the Sthavar world of Jains, not because it is stationary but because it is constant throughout the world of the living. The organisms higher than this level, having variety of form and senses should be the Tras world of Jains.
It would be worthwhile for researchers to go into the finer details of the Jain theory on living organisms, with an analytical approach. A lot has been written about the levels of consciousness at different stages of evolution, the process of evolution and regression into higher and lower forms, the possible ages etc. All this is connected by the central thread of theory of bondage and liberation with and from Karmic particles. This theory, again, is an original concept of the Jains.
The evolution according to the Jain theory does not solely depend on physical changes in the environment, it is also dependent on the purity of soul. It seems that according to Jain theory nature's physical parameters affect the evolution of species in general. The place of an individual in the overall fabric of dynamic evolution is dependent on the state
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