Jaina Biology

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

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Jaina Biology
stands for trees in the Rgveda33 and the word Osadhi' or · Virudh' denotes minor vegetable growths like herbs.34 The plants which come under Osadhi' contain the healing power,35 while those under the head of Virudh' does not have medicinal properties. 36 The word Trnas' denotes grasses.37 The word 'Pasu 38 in the Vedic texts indicates animals including man, while the word "Jagat' stands for domestic animals as against Śvāpada' (wild animals ).39
Further thought about the world of life brings to mind such forms of life, such as, mushrooms 40 and pond scums (sevāla ),4letc. quite different but recognizable as plants, and insects,42 worms, 43 etc. that are definitely animals.
Fundamentally, plants and animals, as mentioned in the Jaina Āgamas are alive in many ways, both are made of cells44 as structural and 33. “Adhvaryavo apo vavrivāmsam vstram jaghādāšanyeva výkşam", Rgveda, 2.14.2;
"Grāvāņeva tadidarthamjerethe grdhreva Vrksam nidhimantamaccha/", Ibid. 2.39.1. 34. “Na tat prthivyām no divi yena prāṇanti virudhah ", Atharvaveda 1.32.1.
* Tyar virunmadhujātā madhunā tva khanāmasi /
madhoradhi prajātāsi sā no madhomataskrdhi //" Atharvaveda, 1.34. "Aghadvistā devajātā vīruccbapathay, pani /
Apo malamiva prāņaik sit sarvan macchapathān adhi /", Ibid., ii. 7.1. "Tve agne visve amţtáso adruha āsā deva haviradantyahutam /
Tvayā martāsaḥ svadanta asutim tvam garbhí virudhāṁ jajñişe sūchiḥ "
Rg. Veda, 2.1.14. 35. “Ya Oşadhiḥ pūrvā jāțā devebhyastriyugam purā l", etc. Rg. Veda, 10.97.1 22.
“ Osadhayah phalapākāntāḥ ", Amarkosa, 661.
In Jaina lit-ratuse also osadhidenotes cereals-such as, sāli, bribi, etc.
Vedic Index I, d. 125. 36. Pptbivimaou vyārcchat tadoşadhayo irudho abhavantsa prajāpatimapadhāvadvrtram
me jaghnusa indriyam yiryam /", Taittiriya Samhitā, 2.5, 3. 2.
Vedic, Index, p. 125. 37. “Kimu śrestha kim pavisho na ajaga....
........ agne bhrātardruņa ida bhūtimūdima /” Rgveda. 1.16.1. “Yad vă ghvāsya prabhtamāsye, trņam sarvā ll”, etc. Ibid. 1.162.8.
Nāsmai tļņam nodakamā....ctc. Ibid., 10.102,10. 38. Vedic Index I, p. 509; Taittiriya Samhitā, 4.2.10, 1-4. 39. "Uttamo asyoșadhināmanangivān jagatāmivah vyāghrah sväpadāmiva /"
Atharvaveda VIII. 5. 11; Vedic Index, p. 268. 40. Kuhana (a kind of mushrooms which causes the earth to burst) Uttaradhyayana
Sutra, 36.95. 41. Sevāla, See Sūtrakstānga 11, 3. 55. 42. (Kunthus ), Uttaradhyayana Sūtra, 36.127. 43. Uttarādhyayana Sūtra 36.128. (Krmi). 44. Abhuya ( cell ), etc. Tandulaveyaliya V. 2, p. 6.; See the tnird section of the 1st
chapter.