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SUTRA 17,
105
neutrino have failed, -34 and the only evidence for its reality is in its success in accounting for the facts of bela-ray disintegration."
Shri Pujyapada in Sarvarthasiddhi himself has raised the question :
"अनुपलब्धेर्न तौ स्तः खरविषाणवदिति चेत् न। सर्वज्ञेन निरतिशयप्रत्यक्षज्ञानचक्षुषा धर्मादयः सर्वे उपलभ्यन्ते।"
Are not the dharma and adharma dravyas like the horns of a donkey, when they are not visible with the eyes ? He answers, No. The Oniniscient eyes of the Universal observer' have seen these dravias which is the ancient way of saying that these realities are absolutely necessary in order to explain the processes in the universe.
We are, therefore, of opinion that if instead of vaguely talking about 'field of electro-magnetism and gravitation 25We postulate in clear terms a separate medium of rest, like the aether, many difficulties would disappear."
Science is at present fumbling over the question of adharma dravya. As we have mentioned on p. 30 f.n. the nearest approach to this concept is the Field of the Physicists. But they are again trying to associate material properties with this immaterial medium, the exact nature of it being still a matter of controversy. We quote here a few lines from the Evolution of Physics by Einstein and Infeld, p. 256 :
“We have two realities; Matter and field. There is no doubt that we cannot at present imagine the whole of physics built upon the concept of matter. But what are the physical criteria distinguishing matter and field ?... We could say, Matter is where the concentration of energy is great, field where the concentration of energy is small.
But if this is the case, then the difference between matter and field is a quantitative one. There is then no sense in regarding matter and field as two qualities quite different from each other. It seems impossible to give an obvious qualitative criterion for distinguishing between matter and field....Could we not reject
234. In recent years the neutrino has been discussed and confirmed.
235. in the report published in the Hindustan Times' of 31st August 1938, of a paper read by Sir Sulaiman before the National Acadamy of Sciences, India, at Allahabad, on 28th August, it is said that "Sir Shah Sulaiman has developed his theory further, claiming to have identified gravitation with electricity". If so, the Jain view of adharma dravya finds full confirmation.