The Jaina Doctrine of Karma And The Science Of Genetics: ▪ Characteristic Of Living Substance

All living substances have to a greater or lesser extent the specific properties as follows:

• Shape^[2]
• Size.^[3]
• Metabolism.^[4]
• Movement.^[5]
• Initiability.^[6]
• Growth.^[7]
• Reproduction.^[8]
• Adaptation.^[9]

The above list of their properties seems to be specific and definite but the line between the living and the non-living according to modern biology is tenuous as "non-living objects may show one or more of these properties but not all of them.^[10]

Many of the phenomenon of life that appear to be so mysterious, as discovered by the Jainācāryas, such as, ucchavāṣa (respiration), saṁjña (instinct), bhāṣā (speech), kaṣāya (passion), indriyās (senses), lesyā (condition of soul or psychic condition), vedanā (feeling) etc. of the living substances, have proved to be understandable by invoking a unique life force, while other aspects of life can be explained by physical and chemical principles in the light of biology.