Aspect of Jainology Part 2 Pandita Bechardas Doshi

Author(s): M A Dhaky, Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 549

112
N. L. Jain
times larger than the Jaina smallest unit. The discrepancy between the values of ADS unit and other reference units have to be explained. The common names of some of the units in Jaina and Vaisheshika systems further suggests about looking into the original source of these units.
Besides concurring with the size of atom, the 1.70cm. value of UN has another result to its credit. If one takes Y-8 miles and PY-500Y=4000 miles, the velocity of light based on vedic data comes to be 1, 40, 930 miles/sec (2.30x 101cm./sec). The value of 1.90 cm for UA gives this value as 1,87,300 miles (3.10x 100 cm) per second. These values are reasonably approaching the current values. This is quite encouraging. But when we move for distances in solar system, we find that we have the distance 14 times larger for moon and 30 times lesser for sun. This discrepancy is awaiting explanation. The other values of UA will increase the discrepancy still further.
It has already been pointed out that the normal angula is 1 d and it is also There seems to be some difference in the RV and JDP named as Suchyangula. descriptions of this unit. But JDP seems to be more reasonable. This angula has three varieties as shown in Table IV. It is seen that there is difference between the values of PA in Digambara and Swetambara systems. No comments have been made on this point by modern scholars who have mostly mentioned this difference. For equivalence, the PA's must be equal. One could suggest that this difference has accrued due to the two forms of angula units-self and utsedha, the one AA being double of the other-UA. It could be surmised that the Digambara PA is based on UA scale while the other PA is based on AA scale. If both are taken on the same scale, the difference will vanish. From the example of the Lord's body height, it is the UA scale coined by canonicals. Thus, the Swetambara value converted to UA scale will give us the Digambara value of PA. Some calculations. on this basis are given in Table VI. If one takes the Swetambara value of PA, the results will be highly discrepant.
The treatment of current equivalence of UA by many scholars presents a situation which was prevalent in the scientific world some 150 years ago when lack of standardisation produced confusion and checked growth of science. The same is the case with the atom when scholars of orient are pitching on the indivisiblity which has been shattered. Jain has pointed out some problems in this regard and suggested the description to be taken in historical perspective. However, there seems a tendency in some scholars to trace canonical origin for all the newly developed facts and to either overlook or keep mum over the scientific evaluations of a large number of discrepant canonical descriptions about the physical phenoSometimes varied explanations are given for the same fact to make it scientifically consistent despite the fact that opposing or inconsistent results accrue from this trend. Some of the results of calculations based on current opinions regarding equivalent values of UA are shown in Table VI which will substantiate