Jain Journal 1990 07

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

Page 37

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(1) The Unit of Three Dimensional Space-It corresponds to Euclidean space point. In Jaina terminology it is called pradeta and has been defined as the smallest volume of space in which only one atom can reside, but in which as infinite number of atoms can reside under special circumstances. This is a contradiction in itself. How can an infinite number of atoms occupy the same space which only one atom occupies? And the answer given is sukṣma-pariṇāma-avagāhana śaktiyogāt (on account of the subtelty and accommodating power of molecules). The modern science has discovered a substance called nuclear matter, first of all discovered by Adams, which is two thousand times denser than platinum, the heaviest metal known on earth. The formation of such a matter in certain stars can be explained in no other way but by saying that somehow a very large number of atoms have become packed in a small compass in nuclear matter. Writing about the nuclear matter the great astro-physicist A. S. Eddington once said that one ton of nuclear matter can be easily carried in a waist coat pocket.
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(2) Einstein's Principle of Equivalence between Matter and EnergyThis principle is epitomised in the equation E=mc2, and in the common parlance it means that one gram of any kind of matter when fully changed into energy is equivalent to quantity of heat which would be produced by the burning of three thousand tons of best variety of coal. If we peep into the history of development of science, we come across very funny ideas about heat, light and electricity. That these are manifestations of energy was realised very late. It is a bit surprising that in the Jaina scriptures it is clearly mentioned that out of the six different forms into which matter manifests itself, namely, solid, liquid, gases, energy, karmic matter and elementary particles, heat, light and electricity belong to sthula-suksma class (chāyātäpadyäh sthületarāh). It means that the perfect identity between matter and energy was known to us although the quantitative relation given by Einstein was missing. It is this identity between matter and energy which ultimately led to the development of the atom bomb.
(3) Pudgala-This is rather a peculiar word for Prakrti (Nature) or what is more popularly known as matter. But it is full of inner meaning as defined in the following words purayanti galayanti iti pudgalah (that which undergoes modifications by combinations and dissociations). Today one whole branch of physics deals with these disintegrations, natural and artificial. We know that an atom of uranium naturally dissociates into an atom of radium and finally after undergoing some intermediate changes into the form of lead. When the nucleus of nitrogen