Way of The Seekers — Page 19
19 THE quality in human beings. Thus it seems that the matter is not so simple. Reason, sex and aggression, among them, fail to account for all moral qualities. Animals also display something which is similar to morals, yet they do not have reason. I believe I have come across something which has illum- ined for me the whole subject of morals. It is all due to the grace of God. My thinking proceeds along the following lines. Morals or near-morals are rooted in certain faculties or dispositions. They are to be found not in human beings only, but are found also in animals, plants and even stones. They are to be found not only in units but even in particles of which units are composed. Thus, as you move down from man to animals you can see in animal behavior something similar to human behavior. You can see pugnacious behavior in both men and animals. You can see loving behavior in men and in animals. Going still further down, we find in plants behavior similar to the behavior of man and animals. There are obvious differences, of course. Plant behavior is subtle. But its similarity to the behavior of man and animal is unmistakable. The tendency to give and take so obvious in man and animals is present also in plants. It is now accepted on all hands that there is sex in all or nearly all plants. The Holy Quran announced this long ago. It is when the male and the female plants unite that they yield fruit. This has been known about the date-palm for thousands of years, which shows there is sex in plants. The Indian scientist, Sir J. C. Bose, demonstrated this by means of sensitive instruments. Plants also display other responses and emotions like displeasure, disapproval, etc. The well-known plant called 'Touch me not' shrinks and dies at the slightest touch. If you touch its flower or fruit, it throws its seed, itself shrinking into a small size. An American tree loves meat. Take a meaty substance near it, it tends to burst with pleasure. If it is allowed to touch the substance, it shrinks away, then sucks