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 197

Reality and Matter : Definition, Properties and Classification : 175
These include motion, fine-grossness and a-light-a-heavy forms too. Still, the difference remains to be considered.
There seems nothing to learn when shape as a basic property was eliminated but most Digambara scriptures do not mention it in that way. Besides grossness, it is also clear that the property of shape refers to solids only, liquids and gases have no definite shapes. This could be an additional reason for its elimination from basic qualities later.
Besides the above, one more related point requires evaluation. Akalanka maintains that touch, taste and smell are finer than colour (and shape too ) due to their non-perceptibility by the eye. The concept of eye-perceptible objects being always grosser does not seem to be correct. This is the only sense which defines and determines the order of fineness. The optical instruments have increased the capacity of eye enormously. Actually, the fine properties of an atom by the Jainas prove the equivalence of the four qualities. But it seems that the commentators have led to some controversy in this regard. This could have been avoided if Umāsvāti's aphorism 5. 23 would not have been there, though Bhāskaranandio has explained its utility in pointing out their co-existence.
It must be pointed out that touch is a sensation due to shape, size, etc. It is due to gross material bodies themselves. In contrast, taste and smell are due to some specific chemical substances in matter which are molecules whose normal sizes could be measured in Angstrom units. These molecules are definitely grosser than light particles. In view of this, the canonical position leads us to some very unpalatable conclusions that ( a ) eye perceptible objects are grosser.
(ii) This assumption also leads one to presume that our knowledge about matter is mainly grosser one, though there is quite a good amount of fineness in many cases due to intellectual analysis of visual observations. Attribute of Motion
Motion is a common attribute for matter and energy.