Sambodhi 1975 Vol 04

Author(s): Dalsukh Malvania, H C Bhayani
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 17

The World of Life according to the Jaina Literature
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before, or absorbed by rind (are) digested and assimilated (by them). 75 That is to say, some organisms (trees or plants) are self-nourishing and they can synthe,ize their own food from inorganic materials and bodies of plants, while som holozoic organisms among plants (like pitcher-plants, must constantly find and catch other organisms - movable and immovable, they consume, digest and assimilate them. Therefore, they must live at the expense of others, autotrophs or beterotrophs. Some organisms born in trees, originated by trees, sprung from trees, springing from trees that
ated in earth, come forth as trees originated by trees, feed on the sap of the trees originated in earth (3).76 That is parasitism - heterotrophic nutrition found among both plants and animals..
That is to say, "Partasite lives in or on the living body of plant or animals (called the host) and obtains its nourishment from it. Almost every living organism is the host for one or more parasites”.77
Some creepers feed on the liquid substance of the particles of earth and the sap of tree, also (6-9),78 i, e, they are both autotrophic and parasitic.
In the same way grass, herbs and plants also feed on the liquid substance of the particles of earth (10-15), etc.70 Here it is suggestive that a few plants like the misletoe are in part parasitic and in part autotrophic, for although they have chlorophyll and make some of their food, their roots grow into stems of other plants, and they absorb some of their nutrients from their hosts.80
Some organisms born as aquatic plants, such as, Udaga, Avaga, Panaga, Sevāla (algae), etc, feed on the particles of water, etc. (19),81
They belong to the type of autotrophs which can synthesize their own food from inorganic materials.
Some organisms born as movable beings from trees born in earth, trees originatad by trees from the roots, seeds, etc. produced by trees, originated by creepers born on trees, from the roots, etc. of creepers born on creepers, from grass, from herbs, from plants, from Aya down to Kūra born in earth, from trees born in water, from Udaga up to Pukkhalatthibhāga born in water feed (1)) on the sap of the trees, creepers, grass. herbs. plants, be they born in earth, or water, on trees or creepers or grass or herbs or plants; (the sap) of their roots, down to seeds of Āyas. etc. of Udakas, etc. And these creatures consume earth bodies, etc., assimilated by them.82 It is the well known fact in India that parazitic insects and
75. Sūtrakytānga 11, 3.2. 76. Ibid. II. 3.3. Some parasitic plants live on the sap of the host plants. 77. Biology, p. 85.
78. Sutrakytānga, II.3. (6-9). 79. Ibid, 11.3 (10-15).
80. Biology. p. 85. 81. Sūtrakytānga, II. 3,18.
82. Ibld, II. 3. (19-20), E.