This is my own interpretation. Plants also have Buddha nature
because they are also arised from emptiness and a combination of
many components. So, "back to the basics" or "back to their true
self" (without the components) is kind of becoming a Buddha. May be
it is something like that, hope that I'm not talking nonsense ha ha
ha.....
i understand spirits reside in
plants, like their 'house'. our meat body is also like a
"house".
anyway frm geis's
abhidhamma.pdf
7. Jãvitindriya—
Jãvita = life; + Indriya = controlling faculty or principle.
It is called Jãvita because it sustains its co-associates.
It is called Indriya because it controls its co-associates.
Although Cetanà determines the activities of all mental
states, it is Jãvitindriya that infuses life into Cetanà and
other concomitants.
Jãvitindriya is twofold—namely, psychic life (Nàma-
Jãvitindriya) and physical life (Råpa-Jãvitindriya). Mental
States are vitalized by psychic life, while material
phenomena
are vitalized by physical life.
As lotuses are sustained by water, an infant is sustained
by a nurse, so are mental states and material phenomena
sustained by Jãvitindriya.
One Råpa-Jãvitindriya lasts for seventeen thoughtmoments.
Seventeen Nàma-Jãvitindriyas arise and perish
during the brief life of one Råpa-Jãvitindriya.
There is a certain kind of Råpa-Jãvitindriya in plant
life. But, Råpa-Jãvitindriya in men and animals is
differentiated
from that which exists in plants because the
former
is conditioned by past Kamma.
Both Nàma-Jãvitindriya and
Råpa-Jãvitindriya arise
at the moment of conception. They simultaneously perish
at the moment of decease. Hence death is regarded as the
destruction of this Jãvitindriya. Immediately after, due to
the power of Kamma, another Nàma-Jãvitindriya arises in
the subsequent birth at the moment of conception.
Simultaneous
with the arising of the one Nàma-Jãvitindriya
there arise three Råpa-Jãvitindriyas in the case of a human
being.38
Just as a boatman depends on the boat and the boat depends
on the boatman, even so Jãvitindriya depends on mind
and matter, and mind and matter depend on Jãvitindriya.
56. âhàraja—By âhàra are meant the nutritive
essence present in physical food and the sap (ojà) contained
in the material groups born of Kamma, mind, and
seasonal conditions. The internal ojà, supported by the
external nutritive essence, produces råpa at the static
stage which endures for 49 minor thought-instants. Råpas arise when
the ojà diffuses the body. Internal sap is alone
incapable of producing råpa without the aid of external
nutritive essence.
Hadaya and 8 Indriya råpas (= eye, ear, nose,
tongue, body, masculinity, femininity, and vitality) are
wholly produced by Kamma. Thus jãvitindriya or the life
principle
present in animate beings such as men and animals
should he differentiated from the inanimate life of
plants and
inorganic substances, as they are not the inevitable
results of Kamma.
They do possess a certain kind of life different from
human beings and animals.
/\