Scientific Contents in Prakrta Canons

SR No.: 001670
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: N L Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith
Publication Year: 1996
Total Pages: 608
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Science, & Religion
File Size: 9 MB

Page 185

Reality and Matter: Definition, Properties and Classification : 163
mentioned here :
(i) Energies like light etc. are said to be grosser than the gaseous air etc. by Kundakunda in his classification of mattergy (category 3-4) aggregates.
(ii) Sun has been said to be nearer the earth than
moon.
(iii) Sound has been said to be grosser than light particles as shown in 23 variforms (groupings - Vargaņās, Taijas (Light), Sound).
(iv) Fine bodied nigodas (micro-organisms) have been called grosser than gross bodied nigodas in variform classification.
(v) The senses in various types of living beings. (vi) The enumeration of colours and shapes.
Thus, the knowledge or effects based on partial contactility theory become important. The current scientists and Vaiśeṣikas do not agree on the non-contactility theory regarding eye. They believe a special type of contactility of this sense. It is in this context that Jaina has suggested to define the word A ( a, i.e. non- ) of Jainas56 as having a meaning of partial or indirect contactility making the Jaina theory more scientific. The eye perceptibility has been accepted to have a wider meaning of all sense perceptibility as stated earlier. The mattergy has five important aspects as shown in Table 9. These are disoussed below.
Tactile Attributes
Tactile attributes are related to touch effects. Samavāyānga 57 refers to ten touch effects but eight are common. The pair of heavy-light and neither-heavy-nor-light (which is also present in Sthānānga) has been missing in later canons. It has to be searched when this elimination took place. Does it mean that the concept of weightlessness is a later development? Table 11 shows that the common eight could be subclassified in four categories (a) thermal, hot and cold. (b)