Studies on Biology in Tattvartha Sutra

Author(s): N L Jain
Publisher: Z_Sumanmuni_Padmamaharshi_Granth_012027.pdf

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Glory of Jain Culture
can be consulted on the point. Though it is said that every living being may possess all the senses psychically but they do not perform their functions because of physical sense organs. However, Panca Sangraha 1.6917 indicates that the onesensed plants to perform the functions of all the senses with their one sense. This is in tune with the researches of J.C. Bose and Haldane. There is one superattainment of sensibility of all senses through one sense. It leads to the fact that whatever be the number of eyeperceptible senses, all the psychical senses could be there in the living. The work of the above scientists supports the cellular theory of the living which has sensibility towards all senses directly or indirectly. Thus, current biologists would tell almost all the physical and psychical five sense sensibility in all types of living beings except earth, fire, water and air which they do not presume as living. Per chance, they are called living in T.S. and canons because of substratum-substrate relationship. 4. Gender or Sex organs
The 1-4-sensed living beings have been called hermaphrodites by gender in T.S. 2.50. However, Table 5 indicates that the livingness developed with no sex-signs at primary level, it developed to bi-sex and then uni-sex characteristics later with twosensed beings. Even sex-characteristics are observed in plant kingdom also.18 Thus, hermaphroditism is only a partial statement. These species could be female and males also by sex in addition to their hermaphrodite gender. Thus, 1-4 sensed beings may be mono-sex or bi-sex by gender. The bi-sex nature could have two
varieties - one having reproductive capacity and other having no capacity of reproduction. The biologists agree to both these types in contrast with the canons. However, the five sensed beings are said to be having all the three genders or sex organs physically and psychically. 5. Mind : Physical and Psychical
The 1-4 sensed beings (as well as some 5-sensed beings) are also said to have no mind. In fact, the term mind requires proper definition. It is said to be of two kinds - physical and psychical. The physical mind could be equated with the brain of living beings while the psychical mind could be the functional part of the brain as it cannot work without physical mind. The biologists point out the existence of physical brain in the living beings with two or more senses. Lodha mentions that even plants show some brain functions. Thus, physical mind exists in almost all living beings. How, otherwise, they could go for desirable and not for undesirable. The psychical mind is associated with the physical one, they should have also to be presumed to possess this mind also in dormant or developed form. It is also said to be mattergic because of the Karmic destruction-cum-subsidence in Rajvartika 5.19. There are some functions of mind-thinking, memory, learning, desire for food etc. Quite a number of them are found in all the living beings if not wholly but partially. That is why, biologists have observed physical mind (Brain) in almost all living beings from 2-sensed onwards at least. The psychical mind should follow it. Thus, there is some point for reconsideration of mindedness of all-sensed beings.
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Studies on Biology in Tattvartha Sutra (Formulae on Reals)