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 292

Chapter 9
Weights and Measures - 2 : Length and
Time Units
Basis of Measure of Length in Jaina Canons : Space Point or Pradeśa
Jainas have an independant reality of space like time. It accommodates all the realities in the universe including itself and it forms the basis for their movements. It was included in five Astikāyas ( reality with space points ) from the very beginning and, hence, its position is somewhat different from the reality of time. The space has infiniteness, extension and omnipresence. It has no varieties of practical or ideal type like time. Nevertheless, it is assumed for practical purposes that the space occupied by an atom is known as Pradeśa or unit space point. The extension of space is denoted in the form of these space points. The infiniteness of space is due to its infinite number of space points. These are the basis for length or distance units. These also form the base for quantitative descriptions of the canons. These space points are also termed as Ākāśa-anu or space atoms like matter atoms. These represent the measure of minimum length and, thus, form its basic units. As the space has extension, it could be two or threedimensional also. Hence this basic unit of Pradeśa also forms the basis for area and volume units.
It has been seen that time and distances are independant of each other, still the length units are described in canons as co-related with time units. The larger units of time Palya and Sagara - have been defined on the basis of Yojana-- a length unit'. Though B., T. P., R. V. and J. D. P. follow this tradition, the A. D. S. and S. K. -1 deal with length units independantly.