Prabuddha Jivan 2015 07

SR No.: 526084
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Dhanvant Shah
Publisher: Mumbai Jain Yuvak Sangh
Publication Year: 2015
Total Pages: 44
Language: Gujarati
Classification: Magazine, India_Prabuddha Jivan, & India
File Size: 2 MB

Page 41

JULY 2015
PRABUDDH JEEVAN
41
It is apparent that this approach is limited by the avail- dinosaurs for 130 million years. Then about 70 million able scientific methods and physical evidence. The years ago, rather suddenly in terms of geologic time, other approach is based on logic, derived knowledge, dinosaurs and other large reptiles became extinct, and and the preaching of the omniscient Tirthankars passed the mammals specified and branched out into on through their disciple scholars by word of mouth in monotreme, marsupials and placental. Most mammals the early times and later through written scriptures, and humans belong to placental group. Humans called Agamas. This approach is not limited by physi- evolved from hominids (apes and chimpanzees). A cal evidence, but include some of the complex con- skull, identified by Raymond Dart in 1924, was recogceptual ideas, which may have been presented in the nized twenty years later by the archaeologists as the scriptures in the highly simplified manner. In view of first Australopithecus amanuensis, a link between homiour modern technological background, a rational think- nid and the human being. In early 1980s, the fossils ing might be required in comprehending the main idea from Haldar in Ethiopia (a collection of fossils repreunderlying some of the historical and philosophical as- senting 13 individuals) and from Laetoli in Tanzania, pects given in the scriptures.
discovered by Donald Johnson, evidence the age of Since the logic and the laws of nature are highly human species to be 3.6 million years. A recent 1995 valued in Jain philosophy, it is imperative that both ap- study of an incomplete shinbone from an ancestor, who proaches, as well as any new relevant scientific find- lived in north-western Kenya, has now suggested that ings, or eventually in alignment and complementary. In the forerunners of humans walked upright 3.9 to 4.2 this regard, some ideas and examples are briefly pre- million years ago, about half a million years earlier than sented here for provoking some thoughts. These should the archaeologists had shown before. Analysis of the not be taken as either a support for or a criticism of the shinbone demonstrated that the creature may have information derived from the Jain scriptures and other weighed about 120 pounds. literature.
It is apparent that most of the archaeological reEternal Existence of the Universe and
searches are directed towards validation of the Evoluthe Human Life
tion Theory. Intelligence in human being is also perAccording to the Jain scriptures, the Universe is eter- ceived to have grown through the stages of evolution. nal, without beginning or end. Likewise, Jainism itself in this regard one may also perceive the evolution as is believed to be everlasting, it always existed and will occuring in the reverse direction leading to a loss of continue to exist. (It asserts that human life also has intelligence and faster ageing of the human body, always existed and would continue to exist, and the caused by radiation or some other natural phenomenon. total human population in the Universe remains fairly It is quite logical to presume if there is a beginning, constant.) This sounds like a significant departure from there must be an end too. But, the Evolution Theory the Theory of Evolution, that all living organisms present does not seem to dwell into the possiblity as to how on earth today have arisen from earlier forms in the many times the human beings might have gone through course of earth's long history. But, we also know that the cycle of evolution and extinction during the currently our knowledge of physical and natural science is not estimated 4.6 billion years age of our earth. Thus, while complete, and we should continue to gain new insights the theory of Evolution deals with a short segment of and develop new techniques for an un-foreseeable fu- time, the concept of eternal existence of human being ture. In this regard, if it is hypothesized that human re- in Jainism encompasses a vast cycle of time and also mains or fossils were not sufficiently resistant to de- a vast space of the Universe beyond our earth. cay, absense of their archaeological finding, after the Processes involved in the evolutionary changes are lapse of a certain period of time, would become quite currently the subject of intense research and discusunderstandable. It will then necessitate development sion among biologists. The book and movie Jurassic of newer techniques, different than those used currently, Park, have conceived that dinosaur DNA may be found for substantiation of the existence of human life in ear- in blood ingested by an ancient mosquito that was lier times. Recent developments in archaeology and trapped in a tree sap, and the extracted DNA could be other sciences are briefly reviewed in the succeeding then used to revive dinosaurs. Although the concept of paragraphs.
reviving the dinosaur still belongs to the category SciArchaeological evidence supports the observation ence fiction, it has been proven to be true recently by that the first mammals arose from primitive reptilian the revival of an ancient micro-organism. According to stock about 200 million years ago, and coexisted with the May 19, 1996 USA Today, Prof. Raul Cano at the