Jain Ahar Prakriya Aur Adhunik Vigyan - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Jain Ahar Prakriya aur Adhunik Vigyan" (Jain Food Process and Modern Science) by Dr. Ranjankumar, focusing on the information provided in the excerpt:

The text explores the fundamental necessity of āhar (food/sustenance) for all living beings, both from the Jain perspective and in light of modern science. Āhar is essential for satisfying hunger and, more importantly, for the nourishment and maintenance of the body. Just as a train engine requires fuel to run, living organisms need energy derived from food to perform all their functions. This food acts as fuel, replenishing the physical elements that are constantly depleted through bodily activities. Beyond providing energy, āhar also supplies the necessary elements for the growth and repair of different body parts.

The author highlights that Jain scriptures have extensively discussed the importance of āhar, detailing its characteristics, classifications, and what is considered suitable or unsuitable for consumption, along with methods of intake. The core of the excerpt lies in the three types of āhar processes described in Jainism:

Ojāhār (ओजाहार): This refers to the absorption of suitable pudgals (matter) from one's origin or immediate surroundings directly through the body.
- Modern Scientific Context:
  - Fetal Development: The initial sustenance of a fetus in the womb is considered Ojāhār, received through the placenta. The developing fetus lacks developed organs for eating but requires nourishment, which is supplied through the umbilical cord.
  - Amoeba: Microscopic organisms like Amoeba, which engulf their food using pseudopodia (temporary extensions of the cytoplasm), are cited as examples of Ojāhār, as they absorb nutrients through their body surface.
  - Parasites: Organisms that live within other organisms, like malaria and filarial parasites, are also classified as Ojāhār. These parasites absorb nutrients from their host's body fluids or cells.
  - Plants: Plants, considered single-sensed immobile beings in Jainism, are also Ojāhār. They absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through their leaves and other green parts. This process, combined with water and minerals absorbed from the soil (via roots), forms the basis of photosynthesis, producing sugars, starch, and proteins.
  - Hibernation: Animals like frogs, which are cold-blooded and enter states of hibernation (winter and summer sleep) to survive adverse conditions, also utilize Ojāhār. During hibernation, they don't externally consume food but rely on stored fat reserves in their liver, which are gradually absorbed by the body for energy.
Romāhār (लोमाहार / लोमाहार): This is the intake of āhar through the skin or hair follicles (romakūp). The text notes that āhar taken through the skin will necessarily involve the sense of touch, as the skin is a sensory organ.
- Modern Scientific Context:
  - Gas Exchange: Human and animal respiration, the exchange of gases with the atmosphere, is considered a form of Romāhār. The absorption of air through countless hair follicles is a significant aspect.
  - Skin Cleansing: The practice of keeping the skin clean is important for opening blocked pores, which facilitates the expulsion of internal impurities and the intake of pure air, contributing to health and well-being.
  - Hibernating Frogs: During hibernation, frogs breathe through their skin, which is a form of Romāhār.
  - Plant Root Absorption: Plant roots absorb dissolved minerals from the soil through fine root hairs (rom), which is another example of Romāhār. This absorbed material mixes with gases absorbed by the leaves, leading to the creation of complex nutrients.
  - General Absorption: Modern science suggests that after digestion, nutrients are absorbed through the skin. In this sense, every living being can be considered a Romāhārī. Respiration through the skin is also a form of Romāhār.
Prajēpāhār (प्रक्षेपाहार) / Kaḻāhār (कवलाहार): This is the intake of food in solid morsels or bites, commonly known as eating.
- Modern Scientific Context:
  - Mammalian and Avian Feeding: Humans and animals consume food in this manner, a concept that aligns with scientific understanding.

The text then addresses the complexity of classifying beings based on these āhar processes, acknowledging that many organisms utilize multiple methods simultaneously or at different life stages.

Key Classifications and Modern Scientific Alignments:

Incomplete Beings (Aparyāpta Jīv): All incomplete beings are considered Ojāhārī. This includes beings that have not yet developed their full sensory organs, life forces, speech, and mind, or even during the formation of the physical body using subtle bodies (taijas and karman).
Developed Beings (Paryāpta Jīv):
- As beings develop, they begin to take āhar through Romāhār as well, as their sensory organs, including the skin, become capable of absorption.
- A fetus, for instance, is Ojāhārī in its incomplete stage and becomes both Ojāhārī and Romāhārī as it develops.
- Upon exiting the womb, a being is both Romāhārī and Kaḻāhārī.
- Therefore, animals and humans are generally considered to be capable of all three types of āhar.
Vegetation (Vanaspati): Plants are Ojāhārī and Romāhārī throughout their lives. They absorb water and minerals from the soil through their roots (Romāhār) and gases from the atmosphere through their leaves (Ojāhār).
Jain Life Forms (Chārgati):
- Devas (Gods) and Narakis (Hell-dwellers): These beings are not Kaḻāhārī.
- Tiryanch (Animals) and Manushya (Humans): These beings are Kaḻāhārī because their physical bodies (audārika sharīri) require solid food for sustenance.
- Ekendriya (Single-sensed beings) like Earth-bodies, Water-bodies, etc.: These beings, possessing only the sense of touch, can only perform Romāhār, which may also be considered Ojāhār if absorbed directly from the surroundings. They cannot be Kaḻāhārī.

Conclusion:

The text concludes that, in a general sense, all living beings are Ojāhārī and Romāhārī. The primary distinction lies in the ability to perform Kaḻāhār, which is characteristic of beings with physical bodies like animals and humans. The Jain dietary principles, as outlined in the scriptures and interpreted through the lens of modern science, emphasize a holistic understanding of sustenance, extending beyond simple consumption to the very essence of how life absorbs and utilizes energy and matter from its environment.