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has triggered a debate on serious and profound topics in mathematics and physics by delving into Jain Agamsbastras and examining the modern theories vis-a-vis them, and brought out a book, Jainism: Through Science, both in English and Gujarati, containing articles on what he has studied, observed and compared between the ancient writings and the modem thought in these complex areas.
Nandighoshavijayji, who received vows 23 years ago, was known as Nirmalkumar Nagindas Shah in his previous identity, and was a keen student of science and mathematics. After eight years of his monkhood nastering Sanskrit and Prakrit to be able to study the scriptures, he took to empirical examination of scientific concepts as expounded in the Jain scriptures and the modern day scientific thoughts.
The scriptures, he said, were 2,500 years old, and were preserved in oral traditions for a thousand years before being put on palm leaves.
He does not find anything odd in what he is doing. He is not a dogmatic person, out to prove something with a fanatic finality; he has triggered a rational debate.
His articles in the book discuss a host of intricate issues such as concepts of time and its units, origin and development of the universe, Darwin's theory of evolution, units of time and their relativity, the atomic theory of construction of material objects and energy, the corpuscular theory and the wave theory of light.
The basic scientific introduction to each topic has been followed up with a detailed discussion according to the Jain Philosophical tradition. Dr. P.C. Vaidya, a mathematics don of renown, has noted that "after awakening interest in both traditions, the Muni attempts to compare them".
Dr. Vaidya went on the observe "The results of the comparison of these different traditions will hardly be acceptable to all. Muni Nandighoshavijay, who makes the comparison is proficient in the reflective philosophical tradition. If a reader, like me, is a lover of the empirical tradition, he may not fully accept the conclusions, but that does not at all diminish the importance of these writings".
What Muni Nandighoshavijayji has done is to set out various themes that indicate that Jain concept of science accord well with the modern science. The Jain concept of science is qualitative as expounded by Thirthankaras while modern science is very much quantitative, as has been noted by Prof. Kanti V. Mardia, who holds the chair in Applied Statistics and is director of Centre of Medical Imaging Research at the University of
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