Jaina Biology

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

Page 94

The World of Life : Plants
83
JALARUHA (Water-plants or Aquatic plants ) :
There are many kinds of Jalaruhas (water plants ), such as, Udaka (a kind of lotus ), Avakā (a grassy plant growing in marshy land, Blyxa, Octandra ), Papaga (a kind of fungus born in water ), Sevāla (algac), Kalambuyā (Kalambuka, Convolvulus repens, or Ipomaea a quatica), Hodha (Hatha ? Jalakumbhika ), the westerlattuce, (Pisti Stratiotes ), Kaccha (Kakṣā, a kind of water-plant, Termanalia Bellerica ?), Bhāní (a kind of water-plant), Utpala (Lotus, Nymphaea Caerubea ), Padma (a kind of lotus ), Kumuda (Water lily, Nelumbium Speciosum), Nalina (Water-Lily- Nelumbium Speciosum species ), Subhaga (a kind of water-plant, Glycine Debilis, Cyperus Rotundus ), Sugandhika (a kind of blue or white water-lily), Pondarika ( a variety of lotus, white lotus ), Mabāponda rika (a variety of lotus, of large size ), Sayapatia ( Sata patra, a kind of lotus having hundred petals ), Sahassa patta (a kind of lotus having thousand petals ), Kalbāra (red lotus ), Kokanada (a kind of red lotus ), Aravinda (a kind of lotus ), Tāmarasa ( a kind of lotus ), Bhisa (a kind of water-plant), Bhisamunāla ( a kind of water-plant), Pokkhala ( Puşkala or Puskara, a kind of lotus ), Pokkhalatthibhae (a kind of lotus), and others like them.49
KUHANS (Plants which cause the earth to burst 150:
There are many kinds of Kuhana, such as, Aya (a kind of Kuhana ), Kāya (a kind of Kuhana ), Kuhana (mushroom-Toad-stool ), Kunakka (a kind of Kuhana ), Davvahaliya ( a kind of Kuhana, Darvaharidra ?), Sapphāka (a kind of Kuhana ), Sajjaka (a kind of Kuhana, Shorea robusta ?), Sittāka (a kind of Kuhana ), Vamsi (a kind of Kuhan, Bambusa araudinacea ?), Nahiya (a kind of Kuhana ), Kuraka ( a kind of Kuhana) and besides others like them.51
The above mentioned plants severally have their own respective bodies (pratye kaśarira ).52
Trees are of various shapes (ņāņāvihasamthāņa ); their leaves are ekajivikā (i. e. each leaf has got one soul); the stems (Skandhas) of palmyra tree (Tāla), Pinus longifolia (Sarala ) and cocoanut tree (Nälieri) are also inhabited by one soul in each.53 Just as the vatti (light or lamp ) made of mustard seeds mixed with sticky thing exists, just so, the collection or combination of the bodies of pratyekasarira
49. Pannavaņā Sūtta, 1.51, p. 21. 50. e. g. Sarpachatra, mushroom (toad-stoo) ). 51. Paņņa vaņā Sutta, 1.52, p. 21; Jiväbhigama Sutta, p. 46. 52. Ibid. 33. "Nāņāvihasamthāņa rukkhāņām egajiviyā pattā / Khamdho vi egajivo tāla-sarala
- nalierīņam 1/447/", Pannavaņā 1.53, p. 21; Jivabhigama Sutta, p. 46.