Cosmology Old and New

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

Page 99

SUTRA 5. current is changed into light. This light falls on the film and gives rise to what is known as the 'sound record'. Notice the changes; sound into electricity and electricity into light.
In order to reproduce the sound from the film, the reverse process is adopted. Light transmitted through the sound-record falls on a 'photo-electric cell' which changes light into a current of electricity and this current after passing through a loudspeaker generates the original sound. Notice the changes again : light is converted into electricity and electricity into sound.
The physicists have regarded all forms of energy as one substance and just as a sugar toy in the form of an elephant can be easily converted into another apparently divergent form of a palace, in the same way instruments have been devised by scientists to convert one form of pudgala into another form. In no other system of Indian thought this beautiful concept of pudgala (energy and matter) exists.
Let us now take up one interesting point which may seem curious and incomprehensible. The Jaina thinkers have included shadows and images formed by lenses and mirrors 158 in the Sthula-suksma class of pudgala i.e., they regard it as a manifestation of energy (Vide p. 63 ante). The formation of shadows is explained by the physicists as follows:
An opaque obstacle in the path of the rays of light 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 on a cinema screen. In the case of a 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. Thus it is clear that energy manifests itself in the form of shadows and images, virtual and real. .
Also there is evidence to show that a dark space is not entirely devoid of energy. We read on page 133 of the Restless Unvierse.
158. "97417 Srebrena of Hat, Tam, aufrefaarufus afarerteanfhaat afar,"
(Sarvarihu-siddhi, 5.24)