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SCIENTIFIC SPIRIT IN MAHĀVĪRA’S PHILOSOPHY
M. S. Murdia
Lord Mahāvīra attained liberation two thousand and five hundred years ago, but still the wisdom he bequeathed to humanity is profound and great. Masses view him as the great cherisher of moral pursuit and little is known to the people about the scientific spirit embodied in the sayings of the great ascetic. Syādvāda profounded by Lord Mahāvīra is a sort of Jain theory of relativity. As is well known the principle of relativity is one of the greatest achievements of modern age, but this theory was well established by Lord Mahavira in the name of syādvada. Similarly atomism propose by Lord Mahavira discusses the moden atom even more minutely than the present day scientistis. Ether (Dharmadravya), the motion and the structure of Universe finds elaborate mention in his philosophy.
Atomism :
According to Lord Mahāvira, Atom1 is indivisible and impenetrable. The atom has no length, breadth and depth. It is so small that it, itself is the beginning, middle and the end. The present day science speaks of many particles inside the atom and that, it is constituted of electrons, protons, neutrons and many other minute particles, e. g. mesons, nentrinos etc. This shows that this is not the real atom as described. by Lord Mahavira. With the progress of science, it is concievable that it shall be possible for the scientists to find out the smallest particle of matter. Further an atom travels from one space point to another in one 'Samaya' to its minimum and in the entire Lokākāśa from one end to the other, the its maximum.3
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