Jaina Biology

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

Page 73

Second Section
General Properties of Green Plant Cells
It appears from the study of plant-life as explained by the Jainācāryas that the green plants are the primary producers of the living world. The properties of the pigment that gives them their green col i. e. chlorophyll, enable them to utilize the radiant energy of sunlight to synthesize energy-rich compounds, such as, liquid substances (siņeha )2 from water and air3 (carbon-dioxide ). The process of photosynthesis is the only significant way in which energy4 (teja ) from the sun is made available for life on this earth.
Land-plants5 absorb the water required for the photosynthetic process through their roots; aquatic plants6 receive it by diffusion from the surrounding medium. Plants need vast quantity of air to carry on photosynthesis, for air contains carbon-dioxide. “Plants generally grow better in air with higher carbon dioxide content.''
Cellular Respiration of Plants The taking of air ( vāyuśariram ) by plants suggests that the cellular respiration 10 of plants which is the series of enzymic reactions utilizes ucchvāsavāyull (oxygen and releases nihśvāsavāyu12 ( carbon-dioxide ? ) 1. Sūtrakstānga II.3.4 3, etc.; Bhagavatį Sūtra, 7.3.275; Uttaradhyayana Sūtra 36.92.99ff;
Pannavana Sutta, Vanaspatikāyajivapaņņavanā, 35-54.5; Lokaprakāśa I, 5th Sarga,
Vanaspati. 2. "Te jivā..........pudhavinam sineha nahäremti te jivā āhäremti pudhavi sariram
ausariram teusariram Väyusarfram vanassaisariram, 1” etc. Sūtrakstānga ll. 3.43. 3. Ibid (ausariram...... Vausarįram). 4. Ibid ( teusariram). 5. “Mūlam syāt bhumisambaddham tatra kandah samūsritah / Tatra skandha iti
mitho bijāntah syuryutah same (107) Atah prthvīgatarasamaharanti same apyami / Yavat phalami puşpastham bijani phala samgatam" /i108//, Lokaprakasa I, Sarga 5,
vy 107-8; See Bhagavati Sūtra 7.3.276. 6. “Vāņāvihajoniesu udaeşu rukkhattae viuftamti, te jivá tesim ņānāvihajoniyānam
udagānam sinehamahāremti /" etc., Sūtrakrtānga II. 3.54. 7. Sūtrakrtänga, II, 3.43. (Vāusa iram). "Te jivä ahāremti......( Vausariram) 8. Biology, p. 97, C. A. Villee 9. Sūtrakrtānga, II. 3.43. 10. “Te jivā āhāremti..... Vãyusariram," Sūtrakrtānga II. 3.43.
Sarirocchvāsanihsvāsahārāh sadharanah khalu " Lokaprakāśa 5, 75, p. 36. "Müle sikteņu Vộkşeşu phaladişu rasah sphuțah sa cocchvāsamantareņa kathamūrdhvan prasarpati" 1/32/7; Rasafrasarpaņām satyuc.hvase asmadadişul / Tadabhāve tadabhavo drstasca mộtakādişu”1/33/1. Lokaprakaś, 5.32, 33, P. 353;
Navatattvaprakaraṇam, p. 14. 12. Lokaprakāka, 5.75, p. 361; “Prāṇāpānāvucchvāsanihasvāsākriyalaksanau /
Navatattvaprakarana, p. 14.