There is a bowl of salad with green, red, yellow and orange vegetables grabbing my attention. Being attracted by the colours, I took an orange piece with my fork. At once, the pale green piece, near to the orange one, jumped back and buried itself. Then to my surprise, I found many more pieces trying to escape from my fork.
What happened to my salad..? Are these vegetables playing hide and seek?
Just like every other living being, do plants feel pain?
But science tells me ‘Without a nervous system, you can’t feel pain and hence the plant won’t feel it’.
After all, is pain an essential stuff for life?
The poor plants even don’t have an option to move to escape from pain. So better to believe that the creator is not as cruel as to make the plants feel that torture of pain.
Reflection of Observer
February 7, 2017 at 9:04amHa ha….Nice thought sis♥♥
Akhila
February 7, 2017 at 10:08amThanks fison…
extinct0703
February 7, 2017 at 9:15amWow thought provoking as always and answered it too this time. Wonderful
Akhila
February 7, 2017 at 10:05amBut i am not comfortable with that scientific answer..something missing
extinct0703
February 7, 2017 at 10:38amWhat do you think it is?
Akhila
February 7, 2017 at 10:54amThere something else.. We as a human, tend to compare lives of all other living beings as that of ours. Rarely we have that insight to enjoy the diversity of the world. So i think there could be some other senses for plants which is not understandable by our senses.
extinct0703
February 7, 2017 at 11:12amDefinitely, if any part of our body is cut it becomes lifeless in few seconds, same in some reptiles liferemains in both parts for few minutes. In vegetables and fruits after being disconnected from the tree it remains lively for days before it dries up and dies.
Akhila
February 7, 2017 at 11:24amTrue..
radhikasreflection
February 7, 2017 at 9:43amMaybe they don’t feel the pain. But research has proved that plants to respond positively to touch and love. Harsh words and shouting at the plant in the long run kills it.
Akhila
February 7, 2017 at 10:06amYes,They have growth hormones which make them sensible to touch and all..
mylittlepursuitsofhappyness
February 7, 2017 at 10:15amPain need not always be in the form of touch..At time plants do feel pain when we forget or ignore them..I have experienced some instances where my plants have withered away due to lack of my attention towards them.
Akhila
February 7, 2017 at 10:26amMaybe you are right. They may have that sentiment, even though not any physical pain
Prajakta
February 7, 2017 at 10:51amWe will never have an answer to that… Being a vegetarian, it makes me question this. Now I have learnt to embrace the philosophy of “as little violence as possible” in consuming food.
On a lighter note, are you sure there wasn’t an empty glass of wine next to your salad? 😀
Akhila
February 7, 2017 at 10:56amHa ha.. Praja you are funny..there was not any wine glasses. You can believe me .
boundlessblessingsblog
February 7, 2017 at 11:10amGreat post Akhila and no they do not feel any pain though they too are gods creation but he has created them for us humans and animals to eat otherwise we will not survive. There is consciousness in them too but it is very latent and that is why it is k . It is k for food but why pluck them and put in garlands and after somedays they rot and let them also grow and make our world a beautiful garden of flowers isnt it.
Akhila
February 7, 2017 at 11:28amHmm… My subconscious mind not willing to accept what you are saying, even while i am aware of the sceintifical reasons behind the same.. Anyway, we have no other options while consuming them..
boundlessblessingsblog
February 7, 2017 at 11:34amYes dear your mind is reasoning with you but there are so many vegeterians in this world what will they eat without plants and this is our survival too. God is so merciful he knows what he is doing and evolution is from gases, minerals, plants, worms, fish, animals and then us. There is life in all of them but it is so latent that it is k for us. I know it will all bounce but this is what i too in my limited knowledge know.
Anisha
February 7, 2017 at 11:30amhaha…good one… Being a vegetarian myself I’ve always tried to win arguments with other non-vegetarians but ended up losing at this very point.. 😀
Akhila
February 7, 2017 at 11:58amThanks anisha.. I have non vegetarian option too. Still this question haunts me…so we are in the same boat
Anisha
February 7, 2017 at 12:18pmhaha…thank god!
Charvi Tandon
February 7, 2017 at 11:38amit is unacceptable to believe things afterall pain and happiness try to coccon you to believing they are different . they are at the surface .
talking about the thought , i do resonate with your view . unconsiously disregarding any scientific observation .
i guess the answer lies in understanding natural laws and not scientific laws ,
in nature for one to continue the cycle of life has to thrive on the other for survival , repaying it in other way ,
but the fact that human beings turn callous is they take but dont repay
Akhila
February 7, 2017 at 2:36pmI understand what you are trying to convey.. And i really appreciate your views on human nature that we are not reciprocating…so that’s the puzzle. Where it will lead us
Charvi Tandon
February 7, 2017 at 5:10pmyeah , where it will lead us … may be to destruction
may be to understanding ..
but all i know is puzzles start with us and end with us .
Akhila
February 7, 2017 at 5:46pmSometimes feel like everything is as simple as it is.. But these kinda puzzles are ever lasting
Charvi Tandon
February 7, 2017 at 5:54pmsimplicity is depth , complexity the surface 🙂
Vinayak Gupta
February 7, 2017 at 1:31pm<3 The creator is not as cruel as to make the plants feel that torture of pain. <3
Akhila
February 7, 2017 at 2:12pmYa..he did something great..
Akhila
February 7, 2017 at 2:10pmThanks my sweet shre…
Joker Shayar
February 7, 2017 at 2:22pmeven if they feel pain (just assuming), they already got killed before coming in your bowl :p … so its too late to think about their pain.. just enjoy your salad 😉
Akhila
February 7, 2017 at 3:40pmBtwn you are continuing with hindi versions only..kill you
kawsreflections
February 7, 2017 at 3:13pmI loved it. Thanks for sharing.
Akhila
February 7, 2017 at 3:30pmThanks
kawsreflections
February 7, 2017 at 3:34pmYou’re welcome.
foreverjunoon
February 7, 2017 at 3:31pmजैन धर्म में वनस्पति काय के नाम से जीव का एक भेद बताया है।प्रत्येक पेड़ पौधे में जीव अर्थात चेतना होती है।भगवान महावीर ने जीवन यापन के लिए अनिवार्य होने वाले पेड़ पौधों के उपयोग की छूट दी है।बिना वजह इन्हे हानि पहुँचाना पाप बताया है।संवत्सरी पर्व पर जैनी 8 दिन तक सब्जी और फल का त्याग करते है।जमींकंद में अनन्त जीव होते है।आलु प्याज मुली गाजर आदि के प्रयोग को भी सीमित करने की बात कही।
Shaggy
February 7, 2017 at 5:53pmItne uchh vicharo se iss din ko roshan karne k liye mai aapka shriday dhanyavaad karta Hun aivam bhagwan mahavir ko koti koti naman karta Hun
foreverjunoon
February 7, 2017 at 10:48pmTy so much.I am jain so I put the real theory of jainism.
Shaggy
February 7, 2017 at 11:25pmHaving read about Jainism, I couldn’t have agreed more with you……
🙂
foreverjunoon
February 8, 2017 at 10:25amYou can make conversation with me.I will get a chance to polish my views.
Shaggy
February 8, 2017 at 8:12pmI’d love to. Will right away check your blog!!!
Akhila
February 7, 2017 at 5:56pmSacrifices for 8 days… So there is definitely some chethana as you mentioned.
foreverjunoon
February 7, 2017 at 10:46pmOfcourse.Even jain sadhu dont walk on the grass.They never touch or pluck flowers.We can relate whole jainism with present enviourmental problems.
A
February 7, 2017 at 4:36pmPlants do feel pain and it’s been scientifically proved
Akhila
February 7, 2017 at 5:47pmHmm? Where can i have that scientifical evidence
Shaggy
February 7, 2017 at 5:51pmJagdish Chandra Basu was the guy, if my memory serves me right??
He actually proved that plants can feel the pain……
Akhila
February 7, 2017 at 6:07pmNope..he proved that plants are living beings..it doesn’t mean that they have pain..inorder to have pain, they need nervous system , brain and all which is lacking in plants.
Shaggy
February 7, 2017 at 6:11pmOkay botanically! May be I am wrong…..
But spiritually everything has a soul they may not feel the pain…. They do have soul, right. They do have life….. I mean you getting me right??
Shaggy
February 7, 2017 at 6:16pmDidn’t even notice that it rhymed…. Woah!!
Akhila
February 7, 2017 at 6:40pmYes, ishan ..exactly that’s what puzzling me as science is against my belief
Shaggy
February 7, 2017 at 5:50pmThey sure do!! Dont be heartless Akhila….. Everything has a heart……
Akhila
February 7, 2017 at 6:08pmHmm..some sentiments, yes i do have
Akhila
February 7, 2017 at 6:05pmMm.. But it’s little painful and disturbing
mataindah
February 7, 2017 at 6:10pmAwesome observer you are !!
pratap singh
February 7, 2017 at 6:26pmTo feel the pain of salad there should be loving heart
crystalamayy
February 7, 2017 at 6:49pmHave heard somwr tat it can feel music and it also directs towards the sun,so possible I guess.
Akhila
February 7, 2017 at 9:50pmYa..possible..may be a different sense,not the pain which we humans feel
crystalamayy
February 8, 2017 at 8:33amHmm how to find it out?its gonna be a v difficult task anyways.
pins & ashes
February 7, 2017 at 6:50pmWe may need to define pain from their POV! Like a touch me not shies away when touched. Is that pain or is that an escape mechanism. Am orange peel releases a juice when pinched, so does certain cacti.
Shaggy
February 7, 2017 at 7:31pmThe most sensible answer here!!!
Akhila
February 7, 2017 at 9:49pmWell..they cannot run away on seeing a knife or an axe..
Shaggy
February 7, 2017 at 7:35pmTook the screenshot
pins & ashes
February 7, 2017 at 7:59pmAbba! What a thought!
Sunith
February 7, 2017 at 8:19pmone thought here, is that all edible plants are created for animal and mankind, but the tree as a whole may have a life of its own, still seeking answers here, as per indian mythology, a lot of people were reduced ( as a part of a curse) to stand as a tree for many years…
Akhila
February 7, 2017 at 9:37pmTo stand as a tree..so does it imply that a tree life is a curse itself
Sunith
February 7, 2017 at 10:02pmIn these materialistic times when you have to stand as a witness to bad things around you and no one taking you as one having life, isn’t that a curse?
Akhila
February 7, 2017 at 10:11pmHmm..it is
Shaggy
February 7, 2017 at 10:03pmDeliberate attempts to piss me off doesn’t work
Akhila
February 7, 2017 at 10:09pmHaha…
2ndhalfolife
February 7, 2017 at 10:26pmI have often had people say to me (I suppose jokingly) that I am hurting the plants when I eat them because I’ve been a vegetarian/vegan for so many years. Who knows? There are some who believe that plans do have spirits within them. Have you ever read the books on Findhorn? Very interesting….
Akhila
February 7, 2017 at 10:31pmFindhorn..i haven’t read..thanks for suggesting
shreyans
February 8, 2017 at 12:24pmthe question is are you feeling pain by eating them or destroying them? if yes, then they surely feel pain..
shreyans
February 8, 2017 at 11:59pmWhat???
Akhila
February 9, 2017 at 12:07amI couldn’t eat any more, if i amnot stopping thinking..
shreyans
February 9, 2017 at 11:04amyou got your answer i guess…)
Maniparna Sengupta Majumder
February 9, 2017 at 1:32amPlants definitely have lives and that’s proved long ago. They can sense the source of light, shadow and water. So, who knows, they might feel the pain, too. Some scientists are of opinion that they are capable of generating electrical impulses within their cells… so, we just never know… 😀
Akhila
February 9, 2017 at 2:02pmHmm..we don’t know..they may have a mind..
Joker Shayar
February 9, 2017 at 2:15pmhaha don’t lie 😀 😀
Akhila
February 9, 2017 at 2:16pmRofl…akhila is not there..she went to moon last night.
Akhila
February 9, 2017 at 5:23pmBunny you made a great a quote..noticed it?
Neha Lokhande Rajput
February 10, 2017 at 3:24pmTouchy yet practical phase of reality
Akhila
February 10, 2017 at 9:31pmThanks neha.. Do you watch this hide and seek
Neha Lokhande Rajput
February 10, 2017 at 9:51pmYeah every now n then 🙂
jadeburlew
February 10, 2017 at 9:58pmLove your blog !!!
Akhila
February 10, 2017 at 10:53pmThank you
thewritewomanblog
February 14, 2017 at 2:12pmDuring a science class in school, the strict nun once told us that plants give out streaks of pain when plucked or prodded at. But whether she told us this so that we would stop plucking flowers or not, none of us knew as she was too strict and we all feared to challenge her statements with questions. But this is a question that my son is soon bound to ask. Did you get an answer from any science majors or botanists reading your blog?
Akhila
February 14, 2017 at 2:19pmNo yar.. Not any scientific answers yet.. But i had a strong gut feeling that they do feel pain.. Only thing i can’t recognize is whether it’s a physical pain or an emotional pain
thewritewomanblog
February 15, 2017 at 1:49pmlet me know if you find out
Akhila
February 15, 2017 at 2:24pmYes..definitely i will let you know dear
kalyansparks
March 11, 2017 at 12:27pmMaybe emotions exists for plant life,they yield well in if we keep Melody songs Every day,and if you keep rock music.They die after some day.Soo I think there is emotional connection between us and plants and animals.
Akhila
March 11, 2017 at 1:29pmHmm. That’s what I also felt, they won’t be having any physical pain, but emotionally yes..
fictionspawn
May 25, 2017 at 12:05amExactly! I wanted to make that argument, that pain is there for us to remove the source of the pain. Plants cannot. Therefore there’s no reason why they should feel pain. Good post.