Jaina Biology

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

Page 76

The World of Life : Plants
65
(Xylem ?) tubes are probably concerned with transporting water and minerals from the roots up the stem to the leaves, while ahiruyam35 (phloem ) tubes may probably transport nutrients up as well as down the stems for storage and use in the stems and roots, etc. In the spring and the summer,36 for example, substances pass from the place of storage to the buds to supply energy for growth.
The circulatory systems of higher plants are simpler than those of higher animals and constructed on an entirely different plan. Plants have no heart and blood vessels. Transportation of their nutrients from the soil is accomplished by the combined forces of transpiration37 pull and root pressure.38
Plant Saps :
37. Ma
Plant sap ( sineha or rasa )39 is somewhat analogous to the blood plasma of man and higher animals. It is a complex solution of many substances. Both organic and inorganic40 which, as pointed out, are transported from one part of the plant to another by the combined action of suction force (ucchvāsa ) which is connected with transpiration pull and root pressure.41 The substances present and their connectrations vary greatly in different plants and in various parts of the same plant.42 35. Ibid. 36 "Vasam!e tadanamtaram ca nam gimhe, gimhásu nam Vanassaikāiya savvappa
hāraga bhavami .........gimhasu nam bahave usinajoniya jivā ya poggalā ya vaņassaikaiyaitae vakkama mti viukkamamti cayanti uvavajjamti.....Gimbāsu bahave vaņas saikāiyā pattiyā pupphiya phaliya hariyagarerijjamāṇā sirie aiva aiva uvasobhemäņā uvasobhemānä сitthamti /", Bhagavati 7.3.274. Mūl: siktesu Vrk 3 şu phaladişi rasah sphatah / Sa cocchvasamantareņa katham ūrdhvam prasarati /132/1 Rasaprasarpanim spastam satyucchváse, asmadadişu /
Tadabhāve tadabhāvo drstasca mrtakādisu //33/7, Lokaprakāśa I. 5.32, 33, p. 353 38. Ibid., 5.107-8, pp. 367-8. 39. “Pudhavísu rukkhattae viuftamti 1.........", "Te jivā tesim ņāņāvihajoņiyānam
pudhaviņam sinehamāhāremti 1", Sūtrakṛtānga II, 3.43; "Mūle sikteņu vşkşeșu phalādiņu rasah sphnfah ", Lokaprakāśa V. 2; “ Pratiniyatavišişțasariratasavīrya",
Tarkarahasyadipika (Comm. on V. 47), p. 159. 40. "Te jivā āhāremti pudhavisariram āusariram leusaliram vāusariram vanassaisariram
(i. e. inorganic substances ), ņāņā vihāna tasathāvarāņam pāņāņam sariram (organic substances ) acittam kuvvamti parividdhattham tam sariram puvvahariyam
tayahāriyar viparinayam Sārůviyakadam samtam " Sūtrakrtānga II. 3.43-44. 41. Lokaprakāśa. I. 5.32, 3!, p. 353.; 5.107-8, p. 367-8. 4. “Siksīrām vāpi nihkşiram patram gūdhasiram ca yat | Alakşyamānapaträrddha
dvayasandhi ca yadbhavet //84/", Lokapr ekāśa I, 5.84, p. 363. J. B.-9