Jain Biology

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

Page 77

this scripture for differentiating and ascertaining whether a part is commonbodied or not. Some of the simpler criteria given in the scripture are:
If the central division of a leaf is detectable, it is individual-bodied; if the bark of the trunk or a branch or a twig is thin and the wooden portion is more substantial then it is individual-bodied. On the other hand, if the bark is thicker than the inner part, it is common-bodied; flowers of cacti are common-bodied. This concludes the dissertation about the plants as well as the immobile, one-sensed organisms.
MOBILE ORGANISMS
two-sensed, three-sensed,
The mobile organisms are classified into four-sensed and five-sensed organisms.
ORGANISMS WITH TWO SENSE-ORGANS
The immobile organisms (sthāvaras) possess only one sense-organ, that of touch. Among the mobile organisms (trasa) are those which possess two sense-organs—touch and taste. Some of these are:
Earthworms, roundworms and other worms; shells, conches and cowries; vāsīmukha, whose mouth is like a chisel or adze—insects such as Curculionidae suit this description; and many others. All of them are samūrcchima, i.e., they originate by generation acquivoca and their sexual organs are not developed. On the basis of their place of birth (yoni) and other variables, there are 200,000 varieties of organisms with two senseorgans.
ORGANISMS WITH THREE SENSE-ORGANS
Besides the two sense-organs mentioned above they also possess the sense-organ of smell. Some of these are:
All varieties of ants and white ants; bugs, centipedes and cochineal etc. They are of many kinds. As stated above, they are all samūrcchima and their sex organs are not developed. On the basis of their place of birth and other variables, there are 200,000 varieties of organisms with three sense-organs. (They do not possess eyes and ears).
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JAIN BIOLOGY