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 257

Jaina Theory of Atoms : 235
to scientist's unit of second. The Jaina atom, thus, seems to be more ferrocious than the current one. Recently, A. K. Jain 36 has given a calculation for the atomic speed of 1047 cms. per unit of time assuming 1 Prati-vipalāmśa to be equal to 9000 secs. and the 'samaya' unit of time to be innumerableth times smaller than this. Measurements upto 10-23 sec. have been made in laboratories now. Even if this is taken as equivalent to the sarnaya unit ( which is not canonically correct ), still the speed passes 1047 cms, mark. Munishri's37 calculations still seem to be imaginary, though mathematical. Law of Conservation of Mattergy
The term 'mattergy' includes the current matter and energy. The postulate of eternal nature, indestructibility and beginninglessness of mattergy naturally lead to their conservation law. It was Lomonsoff who first described law of mass conservation in 1774 and the combined law of conservation of mass and energy came into existence after Einstein's theory in early twentieth century. Thus, this concept existed long before in Indian system except Buddhists. The Greeks and Vaiseșikas also agree to the eternal nature of atoms and, thus, conservation law is seeded in all the three systems. It must be noted, however, that the atoms could change modally under different conditions or causes without loosing their substan
tivity.
Bonding between Atoms
The bonding between atoms convert them into molecular or new forms. The bonding is due to non-elastic collisions according to the Greeks and it is due to vital force for the Vaiseșikas. The latter have, however, thought of gross transformation and suggested that despite initial vital force, the visible changes in forms can be specified through the heating process which either dissociates the gross matter first into active atoms rearranging themselves later into new forms or the heat energy enters into the gross matter whose atoms undergo transformations directly without dissociations 38. This means that che