Scientific Secrets of Jainism

SR No.: 001603
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Nandighoshvijay
Publisher: Research Institute of Scientific Secrets from Indian Oriental Scriptures Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 2001
Total Pages: 378
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Science, Religion, & Articles
File Size: 21 MB

Page 24

Comments on article entitled “ Some Shortcomings of the Theory of Special
Relativity According to Jainology” prepared
by Muni Nandighoshvijay
-
The paper attempts to point out shortcomings in Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity (STR) by putting forth arguments derived from the interpretation of the Jainistic religious philosophy. Support has also been taken from the hypothesis on the existence of 'tachyon' which are currently now postulated to have velocity higher than that of light. Einstein's postulate that velocity of light is the highest possible velocity in the universe is not supported and a proposition made that velocities greater than light velocity are possible. The conclusion drawn is that alternate theories need to be developed taking help from Indian philosophical ideas.
While STR has been challenged by many other scientists, and experimental results proving that velocity of light measured by different observers is not the same as postulated by Einstein, have been reported, the reasons for such refutation of STR are more profound and subtier than what is put forth in the present paper. The contribution of Einstein through STR on the insight that each particle of matter has in its structure energy proportional to its mass is an unparalleled achievement in the scientific history.
Many a times, an interpretation of religious/spiritual texts, especially, relating to the very basic stage of creation of the universe, if incorrectly done, can lead to results that complicate the further investigations. An instance of this seems to exist at page 3, last paragraph, and page 4, first paragraph. The interpretation from the Jain philosophy that the "ONE, by knowing which all is known", is a particle of matter, certainly seems to be a mis-interpretation. The Upanishads and the works of Adi Shankaracharya (annexer-1) declare this "ONE" to be a "substratum" rather than a "particle", it is the omnipresent and eternal "chidakash".
At page 21, para 3rd, it is stated that "Jain philosophy mentions that the earth is steady and the stars, planets, the sun, the moon etc. are moving in the space". Certainly such a view is opposed to the accepted fact, at the present stage of scientific investigations, on the movement of planets and stars. It is likely that when the earth is stated to be steady in Jain philosophy, the reference must have been with respect to the observer on the earth itself.
Again at page 36, para 1, it is stated that "as per Jain scriptures, energy of atom is infinite because the velocity of atom is also relatively infinite". For an atom to have infinite amount of energy is indeed impossible.
At page 38, last para, the fundamental element of the universe in the Jain philosophy appears to have been mistaken to be in the form of particles, rather than a substratum of energy as stated earlier.
21