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A Quantitative...... Perception
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3. POSSIBILITY OF PERCEIVING MICROSCOPIC PARTICLES
OF MATTER THROUGH EXTRA SENSORY PERCEPTION.
From the above discussion, it is clear that according to Jainism, extra sensory perception can be developed and perfected to a very great extent and kevala jñāna is its ultimate limit. In order to check the truthfulness of these hypothetical ideas, we have investigated the problem further. We have found an interesting collection of data which can provide a quantitative evidence about this hypothesis.
This collection of data is based on the Jaina system for measurement of length. This (see Table No. 1) indicates that the ancient Jains had a remarkable scientific vision and a deep insight for systematization of their logical hypotheses. The table shows that they have used an octal system for the measurement of length. This should be compared with the decimal system used in the modern physics (see. Table No. 2) In addition this table covers a very wide range of physical dimensions starting from the size of the smallest particles of matter to microscopic sizes of few kilometers.
Now the mere fact that they had thought of estimating the
scopic particles of matter is a very interesting observation. Moreover the existence of the estimates of these sizes is very challenging in view of the diffi-ulties encountered in measuring the sizes of such particles. It is claimed that these results have been arrived at through the so called krowledge of the inner intuition. It is therefore of great interest to estimate the actual sizes of their microscopic particles in our terminology and to compare them with the sizes of the modern atoms and the nuclei.
To have some physical meaning of this comparison let us first understand the meaning of the term paramānu. This is considered as the smallest particle of matter. The term paramāņu consists of two words, parama and anu. Parama means ultimate and Aņu means particle. Thus paramānu means the ultimate particle of matter which cannot be further divided and which should be therefore treated as the fundamental particle of matter. It is treated as a point-like particle which does not have any length, breadth or height. Each paramāņu has one colour, one odour, one taste and one touch. When two or more than two paramāņus combine, one skandha is
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