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The Concept of Matter in Jaina Philosophy
tion of shadow is explained by the physicists in the following manner. “An opaque obstacle in the path of the rays of light casts a shadow because the rays are obstructed and are unable to enter casts a shadow because the rays are obstructed and are unable to enter the region of the shadow. The images formed by lenses and mirrors are of two kinds called virtual and real. The example of a virtual image is the image seen in a looking glass, whereas the example of the latter is the images in a cinema screen. In the case of virtual image the rays appear to come from the image, whereas in the case of a real image, the rays do actually come from it, i. e, energy manifests itself in the form of shadows and images, virtual and real.”'i The Jaina conception of chāyā (shadow) differs from that of modern physics, for the Jainas accept chāyā as material on the ground that it is apprehensible to the sense of sight with its colour and shape, while modern physics holds the view that an opaque obstacle in the path of the rays of light casts a shadow, as the rays are obstructed on its way to the entry into the region of the shadow.
Ātapa (warm light or heat, sunshine) and Udyota (cool light, moonlight etc.)
Ātapa is heat and light combined emanating from the sun, fire, etc.2 while udyota is light emitted by the moon, the firefly (glow worm), jewels, etc. 3 It is a well known fact in the Jaina system of thought that the sunrays and moon-light are natural. They make space bright, cause to shine and make it hot and illustrious by their respective lights in six directions. 4 Some hold the view that the sunrays are sometimes resisted by
1. Cosmology Old and New, pp. 88-89. 2. Ātapa ādityādinimitta uşnaprakāśalakṣaṇaḥ, ss., p. 296. 3. Udyotaścandramanikhadyotadiprabhavaḥ prakāśaḥ,
SS p. 296. 4. BhS., 8. 8. 344; Sūriyapannatti, 3. 24, 25, 26, 28; Canda
pannatti 28.
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