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(150) : Nandanavana
The biological sciences deal with the canonical impure living beings of all types with respect to (1) the origin of life in general (2) characteristics of livingness (3) classification (4) external and internal details (5) working mechanism and (6) life cycle besides many other points. The Tattvārtha-sutra and its commentaries also describe these points in terms of 40 disquisition doors. It is, therefore, interesting to compare and contrast the canonical and current knowledge on the basis of the data provided on both sides. It is observed, on comparison, that there is good correlation on many points in both cases on surface or gross level. However, when one goes deeper into internal or functional mechanistic points, one finds a gap involving deficiency and discrepancies in almost all points. This contrast suggests the historical perspective and development of biological sciences between the current age and the age of T.S. It seems that the canonical contents of early Christian era serve as historical milestone for the life sciences of today. However, it is seen that biological sciences have added to some scriptural contents while posing some points for reconsideration or modification. They cannot, perhaps, be rejected like the astronomical contents therein. Data
The data used in the study are taken from the original T.S., its commentaries' and other earlier or later sources along with texts of biological sciences. They have been tabulated in Table 1 and analysed for probable conclusions. Results: Analysis and Discussions: 1. Description and Definition of Jiva
Jainas are noted for their aspect wise studies. They have described the living beings through 40 physical and psychical disquisition doors in the ratio of 3:1. The T.S. has about 12 disquisition doors which contain the distillate of Biological knowledge since Mahāvīran age. It seems that the doors of Investigations and Spiritual stages were not fully developed in the age of T.S. and that is why they do not find place in D.D's in T.S. The current biology also describes the living beings under 28 branches given in Table 2. It is observed that all the Jaina D.D's fall under 11 branches. Whereas the biological sciences do not have volitional and spiritual doors (totalling 17), we do not find the same number of branches (17) in our canons-most of these branches originating within the last 200 years. However, the canonical
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