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150 / JAIN STUDIES AND SCIENCE
Let us try to know the fact seriously as to why there is no place given to the digit 'zero' in the Jain canonical literature?
As per Jain philosophy, once an entity (Tattva) is reduced to 'zero', it can not reappear into existence. In other words, no mattereal which exists in this lok can reduce to zero either in quantity or in quality. Hence 'zero' cannot have existence in the realm of Dravyas or in relation to Dravyas. No basic Druvya (mattereal) can vanish or can be destroyed. Jain philosophy, while dealing with only eternal matter or phenomenon, has disregarded the use of digit 'zero' in counting or in mathematical operation. For instance, a black purmami (dion) on association with other parmanus may increase or decrease the nature of black colour but it will never completely loose the original property of colour i.e. colour property will not reduce to 'zero'.
We have seen earlier, number one has been excluded from the counting. Rather, it is treated as the nearest to zero or tending to zero - very near to zero but not zero. Similarly, Jains rule out the existence of a 'superior infinitely infinite' known as Asadbhav in Jain terminology. Both presumptions of nonexistence of absolute zero and absolute infinity establish that the entire mathematics lies between these two extremes.
The evolutionary or deductive methodology of modern mathematics necessarily need to have 'zero' quantity (digit), because of its subsequent applications - to segregate existent and non-existent, real or imaginary quantity etc. This was not the case in olden age. As such the necessity to use 'zero' did not exist in that era's philosophy. Instead of zero, Jain philosophy considered the term 'tending to zero' as more appropriate. Such an example is found in relation to the measurement of heat by the modern scientists -
There are two units prevalent for the measurement of temperature - (i) Centigrade scale - °C (Degree Celsius) (ii) Absolute scale - °K (Degree Kelvin)
When we say that water freezes at 0°C, it does not mean that the heat energy has reduced to zero. Below 0°C, negative temperatures are used such as -50°C-temperature of Antarctica. This, however does not mean negative energy. Therefore, scientists developed another scale of 0°K which means absolute zero energy at 0°K. In this absolute scale of heat, the ice temperature of 0°C is referred as 273°K above absolute zero. Accordingly, -50°C becomes 223°K. There is no negative value in this scale. Liquid gases exhibit temperatures below 273°K. In the experiments of superconductivity, the scientists were successful
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