Cosmology Old and New

Author(s): G R Jain
Publisher: Bharatiya Gyanpith

Page 57

SUTRA I (Adharma)
"Both dharma and adharma pervade through space up to the world limit. They are absolutely non-physical in nature and non-atomic and non-discrete in structure. The qualities of Pudgala are not found therein. Nor have they the structure of space which is constituted by space points. These two physical principles are perfectly simple. Therefore they may be spoken of as one or as many. They are spacial and yet are non-spacial. They are amurta and arupa. They are neither light nor heavy. They are not objects of sense perception. Their existence is inferred only through their function. Such are the characteristics of these two principles which are distinctly peculiar to Jaina physics."71
It is a fact worthy of notice that although all Indian philosophies have devoted very great pains to the theories of world evolution, none of them but the Jainas could think of these vital principles of motion and rest without which a stable world structure is not possible.
Let us now try to investigate the modern scientific equivalent of the principle of adharma as we have proved in the foregoing pages the luminiferous aether to be the equivalent of dharma dravya. Apparently the cementing force in the world is what science calls 'gravitation'.
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Although the law of gravitation has been styled the most extensive generalisation to which the human intellect has ever attained, Isaac Newton, the discoverer of the law, did not quite understand it. In his 'Letters to Bentley' Newton wrote:
"You sometimes speak of gravity as essential and inherent to matter. Pray do not ascribe that notion to me; for the cause of gravity is what I do not pretend to know, and therefore would take more time to consider it....
"Gravity must be caused by some agent acting constantly according to certain laws; but this agent be material or nonmaterial I have left to the consideration of my readers."
It is worthy of note that Newton himself hit at the truth when he suspected that the real cause of gravitation may be a non-metrial agency. In the foregoing pages we have pointed out clearly that Jaina metaphysics regards the medium of rest (the gravitation) as non-material. We shall presently see that the Einsteinian view of gravitation regards the cause of gravitation as passive and non-material (:
der:).
71. Philosophical Introduction to Pancastikayas āra, p. xxvi-xxvii.