Jain Philosophy and Modern Science

Author(s): Nagrajmuni
Publisher: Anuvrat Samiti

Page 58

JAIN PIILOSOPIIY & MODERN SCIENCE scientists or the philosophers have gone deeper into the microcosmos.
PHILOSOPHICAL VIEWPOINT Whereas, in the western world, it is indisputably believed that it was Democritus (B C. 460-370) who Srst spokc about the atom, in India, the history of etom, even centuries before that, is available No. particular Icention about atom is made in any other Vedic Philosophy except in the Vaisheshik Philosophy. In the Jain philosophy, however, a very elaborate and systematic exposition about the structure of atoms and the fundamental, indivisible part!. cles of matter (Paramanu) is to be found
According to the Jain scriptures, Jainism eternal, 24 Tirthankaras appear in each of the two cycles of time, the ascending and the descending cycles The historical viewpoint about Jainism has also progressed a great deal Some scholars have begun to write about Jainism that, "It is older than Hinduism or Buddhism,"1 In the field of history, it has now become an universally admitted fact that Jainism has a pre-historic origin In the ancient history of India, which is traced at the most up to five thousand years, Jainism is proved to be existing throughout Hence, the existence of atomic Science also becomes very ancient along with the Jain Philosophy. So long, the historians used to men.
1 A History of Philosophical System, p 6