Jaina Biology

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

Page 77

66
Jaina Biology
Water is absorbed by the epidermal cells of the roots and moved to all parts of the plant.43
Plant Excretion :
À striking difference between plants and animals as found in Jaina Biology is that plants excrete little or no waste ( khala ). Nitrogenous compounds may be released during the metabolic process of plant, but instead of being excreted as wastes, they are probably reutilized in the synthesis of new paryāpti ( vital force ).
Since plants are lomābārins44 (i. e. absorbers of nutrients through the epidermal cells of the roots, ctc.) and they neither ingest proteins nor carry on muscular activity, like the Kabalābärin45 man and higher animals, the two largest sources of metabolic wastes in the animals ), for “the total amount of nitrogenous waste is small and can be eliminated by diffusion as waste through the pores of the leaves, or by diffusion as nitrogen containing salts from the roots into the soil "46 as explained by modern Biology.
Plant Co-ordination
The activities47 af the various parts of a plant are much more autonomous than are those of parts of an animal. The co-ordination between parts that does exist is achieved largely by direct chemical and physical means, 48 since plants have developed no specialized sense
43. Lokaprakāša, I, 5.33; 5.107-8. pp. 367-8.
“Mulan syāt bhūmisambaddham tatra kandah samāśritah/
Tatra skandha iti mitho bijāntah syuryutah same ” //107/| Ibid. 5.107. “Atah prthvigātarasamaharanti same apyami /
Yavat phalāni puşpastham bilāni phalasamgatam " 1/108/), Ibid. 5.108. 44. Lomāharā egimdiyā ya/v. 200, Bțhatsangrahani, Atmānanda-granthamala Ratam, 47
Ābhogāņābhoga, savvesim hoi loma āhāro !”, Ibid. 45. “Sarireņa oyahāro tayai phāseņa lomāharo; pakkheva puna, kavalio hoi
nāyavvo", V. 181; Sura niraya igimdi viņā, sesā bhavattha pakk hevā V. 181.
Brhat Sangrahani, Ist edition, Vs. 1993. 46. Biology, p. 107, C. A. Villee 47. “Vanaspatisariramankurakisalayaśākāprašākhādiviseşaiḥ pratiniyatam vardhata
iti /", Tarkarahasyadipika, p. 157.; " Pratiniya tavrddhi svāpaprabodhasparsādi.
hetukolläsasamkocāšrayapasarpaņādi visiştānekakriya /", Ibid., p. 159. 48. “ Yatha manusyasarirasya rasayanasnehadyupayogādvisiştakāntirasabalopacayādi
tathā venaspatisarirasyäpi vişişțești nabhojalādisekadvisişțarasaviryasnigdhatvadil", Ibid., p. 159.