________________
1.
Stretched
membrane
sound
(Tata)
(Tabla or
drum)
sound
(Vitata)
(Veenā,
violin etc.)
The Jaina world of Non-living
2. Stringed 3. Reed instruments instruments
(Ghana) (Harmonium,
Bells etc.)
1. Efforted
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4. Wind
instruments
(Susira) (Flute,
conch, organ
pipes etc.)
2. Natural
8. The science of sounds postulates it as a form of energy with wave propagation character having variable frequencies. The human audible frequency range is very limited. The intensity of sound is expressed in Deci-bells, a value of which over the critical one indicates the phenomena of sound pollution. This wave nature of sound is not found in this commentary or in any other ancient texts where only corpuscular nature is postulated. The logicians like Prabhācandra have refuted the Vaiseṣika concept of water-wave-like or concentric circular bud type propagation of sound though Sikdar mentions otherwise without any scriptural reference. He also seems to translate sound particles as sound waves which is not correct. All this indicates Jaina concepts concurring with Newtonian age as in many other cases.
(Thunder, water
rippling, electric
lightning etc.)
9. Despite some differences in theoretical side, the variety of efforted sounds is the same as taught in modern physics, of course on a solid quantitative basis. Also, the classification of different types of sounds seems to be little better in Jaina texts. The TSV classified the sounds in six classes- sounds of (i) stretched membranes (ii) stringed instruments (iii) cymbals and harmoniums (iv) wind instruments (v) collisional and (vi) lingual (alphabetical or otherwise). It does not include natural non-lingual sounds. The Pujyapada or Akalanka classification seems to be somewhat improved as shown in the above table.
In contrast, the scientists classify all sounds in two classes - (i) musical sounds and (ii) noises. G. R. Jain suggests that all sounds of the
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