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 390

368 : Scientific Contents in Prākrta Canons
is, however, very difficult philosophically to prove and scientifically to disprove the pure living.
The Jainas are non-materialists about the pure living and materialistic about the worldly living. They also favour the postulate of separate existence of the living entity since the Ācārānga period. The Jaina logicians prove the existence of the living on the ground of :(i) doubt about it, (ii) the realisation of T', ( ili ) substratum of consciousness and (iv) its manifold functions'. The function of mutual support is also the proof for worldly living. A number of phenomena or feelings ( like happiness, life-span, death, respiration, embodiment, inkling of eyes, mind, etc. ) given as proof for the living by NV philosophers are said to be material in origin by the Jainas". The many facet description of the living abound in large number of Prākṣta canons and their later commentaries. Though the canonical obiect is moulded more towards spiritual aspects. yet references to its physical and biological aspects are not wanting. The scholars like Lodha'?, Jain 13, Sikdar14 and Pralayankara's have attempted towards this direction. It will, however, be endeavoured here to sum up and evaluate the overall Jaina picture in this regard.
The worldly living or 'Jiva' is material and impure because of its inherent adherence to fine and gross luminous and kārmic body or other particles. It could be described in better positive terms and subjected to physical descriptions and scientific verification or evaluation. One could easily extrapolate from impure to pure state of the living. It is surprising that large number of modern concepts regarding the living were developed by the Jainas even before the early Christian era. Some of the points of contrast are now coming to the point of comparability. Attributive Definition of Living Entity
The living, a separate reality has two types of definition : general and specific. The early canons like Ācārānga 16, Dasavaikālika, Bhagavati, Kundakunda's Pañcāstikāya and Dhavalā