Jain Philosophy and Modern Science

Author(s): Nagrajmuni
Publisher: Anuvrat Samiti

Page 59

THEORY OF ATOM
43
1on only the 24th Tirthankara, Lord Mahavira. But ecently, the western scholars have already admitted hat the 23rd Tirthankara, Lord Parsvanath, who was prince of Kashi State, was a person with historical mportance His period is 842 BC, which is 382 rears prior to Democritus From the Jain scriptures, is very well proved that all the main tenets of Mahaira and Parasvanath agree with each other. Even
2
we connect the present Jain Philosophy with Lord Mahavira (598-526 BC), his period is about a entury prior to Democritus, the so-called disɔverer of atomic theory. It becomes clear, thereore, that only the lack of historical knowledge is esponsible for the notion that Democritus disovered atom.
Lord Mahavira expounding the 'Atomic strucure of Matter', to his disciple Gautama, says There re six kinds of substances in the universe
1. Dharmast:kaya-Medium of motion for soul and matter
2 Adharmastıkaya-Medium of rest for soul
and matter
3. Akashastıkaya-Space.
4 Pudagalastıkaya-Matter and Energy (Inanimate objects)
5. Jivastikaya-Soul (Animate objects)
2 History of the World by Haimsworth, Vol II p 1198