Jain Journal 1968 07

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 45

JULY, 1968
of soul which is a different thing altogether. The Jaina view not only clashes headlong with the modern theory of Evolution, it also clashes with the Hindu avatāravāda (theory of Incarnations) which is the Hindu form of evolution over time from the aquatic stage onwards. A fourth point made by the Jainas is the emphasis on production-change-permanence (utpada-vyaya-dhrauvya). Things are born, they undergo transformation and yet there is an element of permanence in them. Now, according to Steady-State theory, the age of the universe is infinite (permanent or dhruva) but the age of each bit of matter in it is finite (subject to utpada or production and vyaya or transformation), since matter is assumed to spring into being uniformly throughout space at just that rate necessary to replace the continuing loss of nabulae over the observers' horizon. This theory is subject to direct observational test, as it predicts that in any sufficiently large region of space, nebulae are found in every stage of development. According to the Conventional theory of cosmogony, all galaxies were formed about the same time so that the galactic population at any region of space must be found in the same stage of evolution, all progressively changing with time. The new theory predicts that in any given region of space, one should find a mixture of all possible evolutionary stages. Although investigations in mid-fifties did not yet have any well-developed theory of evolutionary changes of stellar galaxies resulting from the evolution of individual stars it should be expected, however, that the age of the galaxy will show in its stellar content (i.e., vyaya or transformation). Regarding the stellar content also, the conventional theory held that this content must be similar but apparent dissimilarity is due to long distances and we observe now what must have happened long long ago. According to the new theory the stellar content of galaxies in our neighbourhood must vary considerably corresponding to the variety of their ages, while there should be no difference between the mean stellar contents of the neighbouring and far-away galaxies because of steady-state hypothesis (the Jaina emphasis on dhrauvya and vyaya). And finally, while science is concerned with the external universe without bothering about its correlation with the soul the Jainas are primarily concerned with the soul, its bondage in karmic matter and the process of its ultimate liberation.
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7. Primitive cosmology-Oriential and Occidental
In primitive cultures, man sought to attain a sort of symbolic mastery by picturing the universe in terms of some commonplace objects of everyday life. Thus in India, one view pictured the earth as a huge tea tray supported on the backs of three giant elephants who in turn stood on the shell of an enormous tortoise. According to the Vişnu