Bhagavana Mahavira and his Relevance in Modern Times

Author(s): Narendra Bhanavat, Prem Suman Jain, V P Bhatt
Publisher: Akhil Bharat Varshiya Sadhumargi Jain Sangh

Page 86

Scientific Spirit in Mahāvīra's Philosophy
73
"Samaya' is a Jain technical term and is the smallest unit of time. Grossly speaking it can be said that countless 'samaya' pass in the twinkling of an eye, and this shows with what great velocity atoms can travel. Perhaps science as yet does not know of anything which can travel with such a high speed. Velocity of light is considered to be the highest velocity that a particle can attain. However recently it has been estimated that velocity higher than the velocity of light is attainable and it is hoped that the scientists will be able to find out particles of higher velocity than the velocity of light. In ancient times, inspite of the fact that no experimental and instrumental approach was available, the description of the atom its speed and other properties as for example indivisibility, impenetrability, cannot be brunt is fire etc., is unique and unparalleled. Universe :
This universe consists of "Loka' and 'Aloka'. Lok is that part of the universe which can be reached.3 Lok consists of six Dravyas. 4
1. Jivāsiikāya (Soul) 2. Pudgalā stikaya (Matter and energy) 3. Dharmāstikāya (Medium of Motion) 4. Adharmāstikāya (Medium of rest) 5. Akaśāstikāya (Space) 6. Kāla
(Time) When Gautam, the principle disciple of Lord Mahāvira asked, "My Lord, what is the use of Ākāśa for the living and the nonliving,” then Mahavira replied, "If there was no Ākaśa, where the living and the nonliving would have remained ? Where Dharmāstikāya, Adharmāstikāya, time matter would have stayed ? This Universe would have been without any base.5"
Again when Gautam asked, "My Lord what is the shape of the 'Aloka' (The part of the universe which cannot be reached) ? then Mahavira replied, “This Aloka is like a huge sphere having infinite radius.” This means that loka is only an island in the vast ocean of space. In science also it is recognised that space has infinite dimensions, in so much so that the nearest star ALPHA CE NTAURI is five light years away (one light year means the distance travelled by light in one year at the speed of 3x10 10metres per second). In
fact some stars are so far that their light has as yet not reached the