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440 : Scientific Contents in Prākrta Canons
tions under different disquisition doors? for the two main classes of plants. Only useful informations have been selected here. They have been described under senses, body, size, shapes, sex, activity, food, vitalities, completions, species, dwelling places, birth-places etc. together with many volitional aspects. This indicates the wide scope of studies Jaina scholars have made on plants. These descriptions, however, indicate that they have been concentrated on some specifically observable points in canonical periods. One does not find material regarding cellular structure, physiological metabolism, ecology, etc. which form the base of modern botany. Table 1 : Description Under Disquisition Doors : Plant King
dom*.
No. Disquisition
Door
Fine Plants
General Plants
Individual Plants
1. Naming/definition -
Common- Single
bodied soul bodied-soul 2. Numeration Infinite
12 ( infinite ) 30 ( innum
erable) 3. Fineness
10-15 cm 10-15 cm 4. Position/station Everywhere 21 places 21 places
in the world 5. Direction
to North, South, East, West → 6. Life-span
Innumerable 48 mts. to 10,000 years
cycles of time 7. Body 8. Modifications
Infinite
Infinite 9. Shape
Irregular Irregular Irregular 10. Bone-joints 6 th.
6 th.
6 th. 11. Sex
Neuter Neuter Neuter 12. Intake
Substantive, Locational, Timal and
Modal by touch only. 13. Respiration Occurs Occurs Occurs
3
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