What does 'regular seeds as the fifth' mean?

Q & A
1

Hello all dear friends,

I would like to ask you for some information regarding the sentence quoted in the title of this topic, taken from the translation of Bhikkhu Sujato’s Dighanikaya, and specifically extracted from the following well-known passage:

“There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still engage in injuring plants and seeds. These include plants propagated from roots, stems, cuttings, or joints; and those from regular seeds as the fifth. The ascetic Gotama refrains from such injury to plants and seeds.’ Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.”

Forgive my ignorance, but being Italian and not knowing English perfectly, I do not understand what these “regular seeds as the fifth” are, and to be more precise, in this case I do not know what the term “fifth” refers to.

I have googled, but have found no information on this, so I ask you.

Thank you,

Luca

2

“These include plants propagated from roots, stems, cuttings, joints and regular seeds” would be a clearer translation.

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3

It means that seeds are the fifth way in which plants are propagated: from 1) roots, 2) stems, 3) cuttings, 4) joints, and 5) seeds.

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4

It makes sense, now I understand, I thank you.