Jain Journal 2004 07

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 21

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JAIN JOURNAL VOL-XXXIX, NO. 1 JULY, 2004
size and shape, metabolism, movement, irritability, growth, reproduction and adoption. This list of different properties of jiva seems to be specific and definite but the line between the living and non living, according to modern biology is tenuous as - "non-living, objects may show one or more of these properties, but not all of them?.
However many of the phenomena of life that appear to be so mysterious, as discovered by the jainācāryas, such as respiration (ucchavāsa), instinct (samjñā), speech (bhāṣā), passion (akaṣāya), senses (indriyas), psychic conditions, (lesyas), feelings (vedanās) etc. of the living substances have proved to be understandable by invoking a unique life-force, while other aspects of life can be explained by physical and chemical principles in the light of future research in the field of Biology.
According to modern Biology, the structural and functional unit of animation of both plants and animals are the cell, the simplest bit of living matter that can exist independently. The cell itself has specific organization, for each type of the cell it has specific characteristics, size, shape and so on. It has a plasma membrane which appears in all living substance from the surroundings. It contains a nucleus, a specialized part of the cell separated from the rest materials of the cell by a nuclear, membranes. The nucleus plays a major role in controlling and regulation the activities of the cell. The bodies of the higher animals and plants are organized in a series of increasingly complex levels. Cells are organized into tissues, tissues into organs, and organs into organs-systems. Irrespective of this conception of modern biology, Jainācāryas explain all of them on the basis of karma doctrine, samsthāna and samhanana (skeleton system), paryapti (vital force), prāna (life forces), etc.
Body, Soul and Jainism
Birth of an individual organism in a particular species at a particular time and in a particular place is neither orbitrary nor accidental, but the very precise result of the individual's karman. Which again is confirmed as the result of different actions of jiva occured in the past life or lives. The determination of the species, the life-span, the social status, feelings of pain and pleasure and such