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(Fourth Section - B)
Bacteria, Algae and Fungi
BACTERIA:
Occurrance of Bacteria :
The account of the types of plants-subtile and gross as given in the Jaina Agamas throws a welcome light upon the plant kingdom, touching upon the life of both subtile and gross plants and bacterial living in plant's body as there are not many places in the world as devoid of bacteria.2 They are also mentioned as individual earth-lives, water-lives, fire-lives and wind-lives.3 These earth-quadrates of the Jainas are called bacteria in modern Biology and their life is explained in the following manner :
“They have been found as 16 feet deep in soil; they are most numerous in the top 6 inches of soil, where it is estimated that there are about 100,000 per cubic centimeter. They are found in fresh and salt-water and even in the ice of glacier. They are abundant in air, in liquids, such as, milk, and in and on the bodies of animals and plants, both living and dead."4 The Jaina view on the earth-quadrates is well supported by Biology at it appears from the study of their life.
It is further stated in the Jaina Āgams that earth, roots, bulbs, stems, branches, twigs, barks, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds of plants are inhabited by bacteria.5 So they absorb sap or minerals from the soil by the combined action of the suction force which is connected 1. “Se ņunan mula mulajivaphuda.... biyajivaphuda", Bhagavati Sūtra, 7.3.275;
" Alue mūlae.... jāva anamtajivā vivihasatta", Ibid., 7.3.276; " Tiviha rukkha pannattā, tamjaha-samk hejjajiviya asaṁkhejjajiviya anamtajiviya /" Ibid., 8.3.324.; Uttaradhyayana Sutra, 36.96, e. g. aluka, mülaka, etc. contain bacteria.; Pannavaņā Sutta, I. 4 ff. Mūlā vi asamkhejjajiviya,. ...pupphá aņegajiviyā /";
Gommatasara, (Jivakāņda ), v. 189, p. 117. 2. Bhagavati Sūtra, 33, 1.844.; Uttaradhyayana 36.68, the earth quadrates and plant
bacteria are found throughout the world; Biology, p. 132. “Pudhavi ya au agani ya vāu", Sūtrakstānga, Book I, Lecture 7, 1, p. 153.; Bhagavati Sūtra, 33.1; Uttaradhyayana Sūtra, 36.70, 84, 92, 108, 117; Pannavaņā Sutta I 19.55, Ekendriyajivapaņņavanā, pp. 13-27; Gommațasāra, (Jivakāņda ), v. 89, p. 68.; Lokaprakása, 4th Sarga, v. 25; Sth Sarga. v. f, ff.
Biology, p. 132. 5. Bhagavati Sūtra, 7.3.275; Pannavaņā Sutta, I. 40, 41; Gommațasāra (Jivakāņda).
v. 189, p. 117. "Kamdassava mūlassa vā salākhamdhassı babi bahulatari Challi sāņamtajiyā patteyajiya tu taņukadari ?".
3.
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