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Evolution of Organic Life Jaina Biology
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from simpler organism by gradual modifications which have accumulated in successive generations."
It appears from the study of Jaina Biology that the Jainācāryas have worked out a theory of a sort of gradual evolving life-forms on the basis of sense -- organs from the micro - organisms (nigodas)10 - one-sensed up to the five-sensed animals - men, 12 according to their metaphysical belief that the Karmaprakrti strives to change from the simple and imperfect to the more complex and perfect as a result of modifications of karmas12a accumulated in successive births in past ages.
There are infinite micro-organisms 13 (nigodajivas ) which do not attain the state of life of movable animals ( trasādis ), i.e. they do not evolve into movable beings or undergo gradual, orderly change. They are born and die, in their inclusion bodies (sādhāranasariras ) ; again they continue their life in the same stage. 14
It is further stated that whatever number of beings from amongst the number of Samvavahārarāśis (from ross one-sensed beings up to five-sensed beings-men) attains perfection, their equal number of beings from amongst beginningless fine plant-lives evolves into samvavabārarāśis (gross one-sensed movable beings up to five-sensed beings 1.15
Here it is suggestive from this statement that the process of evolution of organisms has not ceased, “but is occurring more rapidly to-day than in many of the past ages according to modern Biology.
8. Ibid. 9. Uttaradhyayana Sūtra 36. 68-197. ; Pannavana Sutta 1. 19-55 (Egidiyajiva
panna vina ) up to 1-92. 138 ( Parcendiya manussajiva pannavana ) 10. Bhagavati Sutra 25. 5. 749; Jiväbhigama Sūtra pp. 997; Paņņavapā Sutta 1.55.
102; Lokaprakasa 1 - 4th Saiga, v. 32; Nigodasafirirsikā, Gommatasara
(Jiva ), 73. 11. Uttaradhyayana Sūtra 36, 68 ff., Pannavani Sutta 1.1 -55. 12. ''ttaradhyayana Sūtra 36. 194-7; Pannavana Sutta 1.92.138 12!a Sūtrakrtanga II. 3.62 "Savve pāņā savve bhūta. ... ... ceva vipparijāsa muvanti" 13. Atihi ana mtā jivā, jehim na patto tasai pariņāmo. Uppajjamti cayamti ya, pun
vi tattheva tattheva," Brhatsaṁgrahani, v. .77; see also Visesaņavati. "Te vi
namtāna mtā s iyoavāsan anuhavanti." Vide Lokaprakāśa 1.4.67. 14. Bịhatsamgrahaņi v. 277. 15. Sijjhanti jattiya kira iha sa nivavahārarasi majjao / Inti aņāivaņassaimajjão
tattiā tāmmi // 58 /. Prajñāpanavrtti, vide Lokaprakaśā, 1.4.58, p. 328. 16. Biology, p. 512.
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