Jaina Biology

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

Page 36

Cell Structures and Functions
animal or plant.71 The simplest nigodajıvas72 like viruses do not metabolize, move or grow, yet because they can reproduce73 and undergo mutations, they are regarded as living. 74 As pointed out, one of the fundamental tenets of Biology is that “all life comes only from living substances."75 It is stated in the Jaina Agamas that worms or bugs or lice or vermins do come from the declining non-living fluids or sweat or dirt. But modern Biology has given convincing proof that they do come from eggs laid down by some flies attracted by the smell of the decaying dirt.
“Bacteria do not arise by spontaneous generation by only from previously existing bacteria."76 “ The sub-microscopic filtrable viruses do not arise from non-viral material by spontaneous generation, the multiplication of viruses requires the presence of previously existing viruses."77
According to Jaina Biology; Plants have only asexual reproduction (Saṁmūrochima ),78 while animals have both sexual and asexual reproductions ( garbhavyutkrāntika and sammūrochima ).79 The process of asexual reproduction may be simple as the splitting of one individual into two. The process of sexual reproduction in most animals involves the 71. Sūtrakrtānga, Srutaskandha II, Adhyayana 3. 72. Bhagavati, 12.2.443; 25.5.749; Gammațasāra, (Jiva) 191, 192, 193. 73. The Nigodas are the collections of infinite number of souls or (beings ), making
minutest groups, having common breathing in and out and experience of feeling, sensation, etc. They continue their evolution of life through the successive Jivaparyayas, having longing for development, BHS. 12.2.443. In the common nigoda-body when one nigodajiva dies, then there takes place death of infinite nigoda Jivas, Gommațasāra, 193. “Jatthekka marai Jivo, tattha du maranam
have anamtānam // 73. Ibid., 193. 75. Biology, p. 18. Ācārānga Sūtra Book I, Lecture I, Sixth Lesson, Sūtra 48, p 68.
"Se bemi-samtime tasāpāņā, tamjaha-amdaya poyaya jarāua rasaya samseyaya sammucchima ubbhiyayā uvavāiya, esa samsareti pavuccai” Sūtra (48).; Sūtrakstānga, Śrutaskandha I, Adhyayana 7, Sūtra I “Pudhavi ya ayū agani ya Vāů, taņa-rukkha-biya ya tasa ya pāņā I Je amdaya je ya jarāuā pāņā, samseyaya
je rasayabhidhānā” Sūtra, p. 153. See also Sūtra 7 (Samseya, etc.) 76. Biology, pp. 18-19. 77. Ibid, p. 19. 78. Sūtrakrtānga, Srutaskandha 2, Adhyayana, Sūtra 43, p. 91." Cattāri biyakāyā....
aggabīyā, mūlabiyā, porabiyā khamdhabiya "; very vague ideas are contained in the Brahmanical works as to the sexual characters of plants (See Amarakosa, Vanausadbi-varga ), Caraka, Kalpasthana, Ch. V. But the Rajanighantu tells of a grotesque division into male, female and hermaphrodite, based on the slender or stout, the soft or hard, the long or short, the simple or mixed character of the stems and flowers. According the Kathopanisad the sexual reproduction in higher plants and higher animals is quite similar (Patwardhan K.A. Upanisads
and Modern Biology, p. 59, Popular Book Depot, Bombay, 1957. J. B.-4