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COSMOLOGY : OLD AND NEW “Instead of looking at a system of interference bands 'S4 with the eye, it is possible to make a small counting apparatus pass over them and count the electrons photo-electrically liberated by them in the tube. Then we obtain many electron impacts just when the counting tube is over a bright band, and few when it is over a dark band."
With regard to the sound energy the Jaina thinkers have included it in the Süksma-sthula class of pudgala because it cannot be seen with the eyes but can be perceived with the help of the auricular organ, whereas the shadows are included in the class Sthula-sukśma. It should be noted, however, that the two classes are overlapping as do their names. Prof. A. Chakravarti observes in this connection as follows:
"Unlike the other Indian systems of thought which associate sound with ākāśa Jaina system explains the sound as due to the violent contact of one physical object with the other. It is said to be generated by one skandha (molecule) knocking against another skandha. Sound is the agitation set up by this knock. It is on account of this theory of sound that the system speaks of an atom or paramānu as unsounding by itself." 160 This idea is expressed in gathās of Pañcāstikāya Sāra.
आदेशमत्तमुत्तो धादुचदुक्कस्स कारणं जो दु। सो णेओ परमाणू परिणामगुणो सयमसद्दो।। सद्दो खंधप्पभवो खंधो परमाणुसंगसंघादो।
पुढेसु तेसु जायदि सद्दो उप्पादगो णियदो।।161 The atom is defined as having a perceptual form, the cause of elements like earth, fire, water and air and unsounding. The cause of sound natural or artificial has been pointed out to be the striking of molecules against one another.
This is just the scientific view of the generation of sound. 'Sound does not travel in vacuum' is a famous experiment which is shown to every school-boy. If sound were generated by akaśa or Ether as is supposed by the author of the Vaisesika
159. When one wave of light energy interferes with another under certain conditions, alternate bright and dark bands are formed called interference bands.
160. Vide A Philosophical Introduction to Par castikara-sara, p. xxxvii. 161. Pancastikaya-sara, gaihas 85-86.
