Jain Spirit 2003 03 No 14

Author(s): Jain Spirit UK
Publisher: UK Young Jains

Page 41

PHILOSOPHY
The Scientific Foundations of Jainism
Shamil Chandaria reviews a unique book by Professor Kanti Mardia
ROFESSOR MARDIA HAS TAKEN ON A FORMIDABLE TASK IN HIS BOOK, The Scientific Foundations of Jainism, explaining Jain science and metaphysics to a modern audience using the nomenclature and terminology of modern science. This is no small feat given that the ancient Jain texts were written in an obscure and technical language making them almost impenetrable to our modern eyes and ears. Furthermore, Mardia links these Jain metaphysical foundations to Jain ethics and the path of personal liberation and self-conquest. By doing so, he has written a synoptic account of the complete Jain philosophical system: metaphysics being the roots, science the trunk, and Jain ethics and principles of living a life of selfconquest and liberation being the branches and leaves.
Mardia has constructed four axioms which encapsulate the entire Jain belief system and form the basis of his book. Axiom 1) The soul exists in contamination with karmic matter and it longs to be purified. Axiom 2) Living beings differ due to the varying density and types of karmic matter: Axiom 3) Karmic bondage leads the soul through the states of existence (cycles). Axiom 4a) Karmic fusion is due to perverted views, non-restraint, carelessness, passions and activities. Axiom 4b) Violence to oneself and to others results in the formation of the heaviest new karmic matter, whereas helping others with moksha, with positive non-violence results in the lightest new karmic matter Axiom 4c) Austerity forms the karmic shield against new karmons as well as setting the decaying process in the old karmic matter Mardia devotes a chapter to each of these axioms. In axioms 1-3 he gives us the Jain 'scientific' foundations of the theory of the soul and the human condition. Here he develops terms such as karmons (subatomic particles of karmic matter), karmic force fields, karmic fusion and the like, recreating a language that is reminiscent of particle physics, electromagnetism and other areas of physics. He uses scientific analogies to illustrate the principles of the Jain theory. The soul absorbs negative karmons from negative activity and is polluted so as to obscure and obstruct knowledge, perception, bliss and energy of the soul. The soul, however, has an innate tendency to be pure. The karmic matter determines one's position in life and the cycles of reincarnation.
The three parts of axiom 4 are the Jain applications of the science of the soul set out in axioms 1-3. The application is to foster the purity of the soul and ultimate well being. It engages with the ancient philosophical question of 'How should one live?' One should live to reduce the density of karmic matter in one's soul. Before seeing how to reduce the density of karmic matter, we should see what causes karmic matter density to increase: this is the focus of axioms 4a) and b). The culprits are called the karmic agents:
• Perverted views-a misunderstanding of the true nature of our soul, • Non-restraint - lack of self control which leads us to do wrong when we know better,
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Jain Spirit . March - May 2003