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Certain Peculiarities of Jaina School of Astronomy
In February, 1978, under the guidance of Dr. S. D. Sharma, the author got his Ph. D. degree with his thesis on mathematical analysis of post-Vedanga pre-Siddhantic data in Jaina Astronomy. This analysis was mainly based on the study of astronomical texts as extant in Jaina canon of sacred literature. Several scholars have asked why we have called this astronomical system as Jaina School of Astronomy. Here an attempt has been made to expose certain peculiar characteristics of this astronomical system which we have called as Jaina astronomical system because its results are mainly based on the study of Jaina canonical literature. It cannot be denied that sometimes certain parallel references have also been found in some Puranic and Buddhistic literature. However, it is worthy of note that most of Puranic and Buddhistic texts are yet to be studied exhaustively from an astronomical point of view. In the light of researches hitherto made, here stress is laid upon the peculiar developments of astronomical thought as exhibited in the so-called Jaina School of Astronomy, e.g., the evolution of the system of graduating the zodiacal circle, the gnomonic technique of measuring the fraction of the day elapsed at any instant, etc. etc. It is significant to note that all such developments have been found free from Greek, Babylonian and any other foreign influences.
SAJJAN SINGH LISHK
Certain peculiar characteristics of Jaina School of Astronomy are dealt with as below:
1. Units
There had been a great diversity of systems of units of time, length and of division at different times in different parts of ancient India.
(i) Time-units:
Atharva Veda Jyotisa contains an unique thirty-fold divisions system of time-units1 which may conveniently be called as 'Trigesimal system'.
1 Lishk, S.S. and Sharma, S.D. (1976), 'Time-Units in Ancient Indian Astronomy', Tulsi Prajna, Vol.2, Nos. 7-8, pp. 100-108, Ladnun.
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