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9. Can we establish relationship between agglutinated beings and cloning?
Cloning in biology is the process of producing of genetically-identical individuals that occurs in nature when organisms such as bacteria, insects or plants reproduce asexually. Cloning in biotechnology refers to process which is used to create copies of DNA fragments (molecular cloning), cells (cell cloning) or organisms.
According to genetic science, cloning is done artificially. Cloning has been almost successful in plants and some animals. Human cloning is still under trial.
According to the concept of agglutinated human beings in Jaina philosophy, these asexually born human beings could be replicated if the immature paryāptis are matured artificially in favorable conditions. The concept of sammürcchima is certainly the distinctive feature of Jainaism.
Thus in-toto, agglutinated human beings are born asexually from sexually born human beings under natural circumstances. Same thing done artificially in laboratories is nothing but cloning. Genetic differences seen in the plant-kingdom in dense forest is by the process of agglutination which occurs naturally.
We humans do the same artificially by twig grafting, seed grafting, tissue culture which is
cloning. Same is true for animals
Conclusion * The verb 'saṁ-mūrch is found in various brahmanical Sanskrit texts denoting various meanings like - to be unconscious, to churn, to grow, to form and so on. In the Jaina texts, the noun
sammūrcchana' is closely connected with the process of birth, which is the distinctive feature of Jainaism. * When we read the description of this concept from the Jaina texts, at the outset, we think that hundreds of organisms are produced without the presence of males and females. But when a deep thought is given, we realize that "How sat (16) can be produced from asata (31401) ?" Therefore we have to presume that a certain fragment of that organism should be there at the birthplace when the process of agglutination takes place. * We have to presume that garbha-janma is sexual reproduction and sammūrcchana is asexual reproduction. Sammūrcchana or agglutination is seen in the microbes having one-sense to fivesenses. With the help of botanical and biological sciences, we can interpret the references found in the Jaina texts. * Each of the species of the microbes exerts for its existence during the continuous life-process. It is the basic instinct of all living beings. This instinct is realised through sexual and asexual reproduction. This instinctive force is underlined by Jainaism as well as by the life sciences like botany and biology. * Jainaism proclaims that each jīva (i.e. microbe) is separate and individually independent. Science also says that the DNA of every living organism is unique.
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