Proceedings of the Seminar on Prakrit Studies 1973

Author(s): K R Chandra, Dalsukh Malvania, Nagin J Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 48

both food 76 and shelter for many other forms. This eco-system is one of the major unifying generalizations of Biology.
Cells, Structures and Functions : The Fabric of Life : As already pointed out, Biology is the science of living things, 'Paryapti'37 (Proto. plasm ?) appears to be the actual living material of all plants and animals. This vital force of protoplasm of the human body and of all plants and animals, according to modern Biology, exists, in cells, 28 the discrete portions, which are the microscopic units of structure of the body; each of them is an independent, fuctional unit. “The processes of the body are the sum of the co-ordinated functions of its cells. These cellular units vary considerably in size, shape and function. Some of the smallest animals have bodies made of a single cell, others such as a man or an oak tree are made of countless billions of cells fitted together”. 29
Characteristics of Living Substances : All living substances (Jwadravyas) have, to a greater or lesser extent, the properties of specific size80 and shape, 31 metabolism, 32 movement,88 irritability,34 growth,85 reproduction 36 and adaptation.37
Biologic Inter-relationships : At first glance, the world of living substances appears to be made up of a bewildering variety of plants and animals,38 all quite different and each going its separate way at its own pace. A closer study reveals, however, that all organisms, whether plant or animal, have the same basic needs for survival, the same problems of getting food 39 for energy, getting space to live, 40 producing a new generation41 and 30 on. In solving their problems, plants and animals have evolved into a tremendous number of different forms, 42 each adapted to live in some particular sort of environment. Each has become adapted not only to the physical environment,43 has acquired a tolerance to a certain range of moisture, wind, sun, temperature, gravity and so on but also to the biotic environment, all the plants and animals living in the same general region. Living organisms are inter-related in two main ways, by evolutionary descent45 and ecologically.46 One organism may provide food or shelter for another 47 or produce some substance harmful to the second, 48 or the two may complete for food or shelter.
The Classification of Living Things : The authors of Prakrit Literature have tried to set up systems of classifications based on natural relationships,49 putting into a single group those organisms which are closely related in their evolutionary origin.50 Since many of the structural similari. ties 51 depend on evolutionary relations,52 classification of organisms is similar in many respects to the one of the principles based on logical structural similarities, 68 that is to say, species, genus, phyla.