Jaina Biology

Author(s): J C Sikdar
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 12

JAINA BIOLOGY By: DR. J.C.SIK DAR 1. Jaina Biology and the Scientific Method
Biology is the science of living substance (Jivadravya ) which is different from non-living substance (ajivadravya )2. It is a very old science of living substances for solving the fascinating riddle of life. The survival of early men required a knowledge of such basic facts as which plants and which animals could be safely taken as food and medicine. In the Jaina Āgamic literature the word "Jivatthikāya '3 is used to refer to any living substance, plant or animal, from nigoda (micro-organism ) up to the pañcendriya manusya5 (five-sensed human beings ), just as the word 'organism ' in modern age is used to denote any living thing, plant or animal, from amoeba to man.
The study of Biology began with the Jainas on the basis of the doctrine of animism7 and abiņsās (non-violence ) in the hoary past, besides the requirement of food to sustain life with a sense of spiritual value of life of all beings. They kept in view the concepts of living substance as contained in the Vedic and post-Vedicto literature, describing the external and internal parts of plants and animals with their nomenclature, classifications, etc. 1. Bhagavati Sūtra, śataka 25, uddosaka 2. sūtra 720; Sthānānga Sūtra. 2, 95. p. 86;
Pannavaņā Sutta 1.3, P, 4. 2. Bhagavati Sūtra, 25. 2. 720.; Pannavanā Sutta, 1. 3. p. 4.; Jivabhigama Sutta, P. 5. 3. Bhagavati Sūtra 20, 2. 665. 4. 1bid., 25. 5, 749. 5. Ibid , 33. 1. 844. 6. Biology, C. A. Viliec, p. 16.
"Se bemi sa mtime tasā pāņa, tarjahā-a mdaya poyaya jnraua rasaā sanseyayal sammucchimā ubbhiyayā esa samsāretti pavuccai" Acäränga Sutra, adhyayana 1, uddeśaka 6, sūtra 48, etc. “Se hu muņi poriņņāyakamme” (54).. 1bid; See SBE Vol. XXII, Pt. I, p. 11, Book 1. Lecture 1. 6th lesson; Sūtrakştānga 1, Adhyayana 7. Pudhavi ya au agani ya Vāū, taņa rukkha biya ya ta să păņā/Je ardvyā je ya jarāuipāņa, saṁseyaya je rasayabhihāņa (1) " etc.... up to “Nidhūya kammam na pavamcuvei, akkhakkhae vā sagadam ti bemi"-30.
See SBE XLV, Pt. 11, pp. 293, 302, Sūtraktänga, Book 1, Lecture 7. 8. Bhagavatı Satra, 2. 1. 92, 95; 8. 5. 328; 11. 9. 417; 11. 22. 435. 9. See the Indian Journal of History of Science, Vol. 5, No. 1, 1970, Biology in
Ancient and Medieval India, Dr. R. N. Kapil, pp. 125-132. 10. Ibid. J. B.-1
1.