Answer

In Jainism, the “breathing” prāṇa does not mean an apple breathes like a human with lungs and a nose.

It means that the living soul (jīva) in a plant-bodied being has a subtle life-function called śvāsocchvāsa prāṇa. So the apple is not breathing visibly; rather, the living plant-life associated with it has this subtle vital activity.

Explanation

A few important points:

• In Jainism, prāṇa means vital life forces.
• A one-sensed living being like a plant has 4 prāṇas.
• One of these is breathing/respiration in a subtle form.
• This is not the same as human breathing.

So when Jainism says a plant or plant-part has breathing prāṇa, it does not mean:

• lungs,
• nose,
• chest movement,
• or visible inhale and exhale.

It means the living being inside that plant-body has a minute, living process of respiration.

Also, an apple should be understood properly:

• If it is part of a living tree or plant-body, it belongs to that living organism.
• The jīva is the one with prāṇas.
• The apple itself, as a piece of matter, is not “thinking” or “breathing” like an animal.

Spiritual Understanding

Jain Dharma teaches us to see life even in very small and simple forms. This is why Jainism emphasizes ahimsa so deeply.

Understanding that plant-life has prāṇas helps us develop:

• compassion,
• care in eating,
• and awareness that life exists in many forms.

This is not meant to say a plant breathes like a person, but that life is present there in a subtle way.

Takeaway

So the simple answer is:

An apple does not breathe like a human. In Jainism, the living plant-being has a subtle respiration prāṇa, not visible breathing through lungs.

If you want, I can also explain the 4 prāṇas of one-sensed beings in a very simple Jain table.