Jain Biology

Author(s): Jethalal S Zaveri, Mahendramuni
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati

Page 76

As in the previous case, the roots of these trees have innumerable souls.The trunk and each of its branches, twigs, leaves, etc. has one soul. Each flower has many souls; each fruit has as many souls as the number of seeds. This completes the treatment of the trees.
Then follows all the eleven other types of plants, viz. shrubs, grasses upto kuhanas-Mushrooms. The style of dissertation is similar in all these cases and apart from giving several typical names of the plants of each type, there is nothing very significant. A simile of a sweet preparation called tilpāpaļī in which hundreds of individual tils appear to become integrated without losing their individuality, illustrates how innumerable souls could inhabit a small part of a plant.
To a specific query-Which are the trees of which the trunk and each leaf has a single organism? The answer given is—tāla, sarala, and coconut tree and it is added that these are only typical names and all similar trees would have the same characteristics. But the trunks of all trees should not be taken as single organism because the trunks of some trees are also with innumerable organisms (khandhū vi asamkheyā jīviyā). What is said about the trunk, also applies to all the other parts of the plant. This concludes the dissertation of individual-bodied plants.
COMMON BODIED PLANTS:
Well-known amongst the common-bodied plants are:
Aluya,' onion, garlic, radish, ginger, turmeric, and others. The most significant difference between the two types of parts of the plantsindividual-bodied and common-bodied—is that while the former would have innumerable organisms, each with its own physical body, the latter would contain infinite souls sharing a common organism. Some parts of the plants may be of the latter type in the earliest stage but would later on be converted into the former type. For instance, every leaf in its infancy is a common-bodied organism but later on as it matures it is converted into a individual-bodied one. Elaborate and detailed criteria are given in
1. Aluya is not potato, but a medicinal plant. See Bhagavatī with Bhāsya, Vol. II Sataka 7 Sūtra 66.
JAIN BIOLOGY
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