________________
The Jaina world of Non-living
The current scientists tell us that light is a form of electromagnetic waves with varying frequencies. The human visible light frequency lies between 4000-7000 Angstroms. The dark-light frequency could be lower or higher than this range. It is called infra-red or ultraviolet range. Had it not been the form of light, how dark photography could have developed ? Thus, the textual reference to two forms of lightvisible and dark are quite in tune with the physicists. It is a fine form of mattergy forming the third category of gross-fine in Kundkundas' aggregates based on eye-perceptibility.
20. The shadow is also an effect of light produced due to obstruction of light by an object. It also forms the third category as above like light or darkness etc. Its mattergicity is proved on the basis of (i) its coolness and (ii) satisfying nature. The sub-aphorism 5.25.10 also supports it due to its eye-perceptibility. Gunaratna says that shadowic mattergy is also the cause of shadows and images. When the mattergic shadow falls on the mirror, one gets an image. Two types of images have been mentioned by Pujyapāda and eloabrated in this commentary. In fact, the images have two categories - (i) real and (ii) virtual. The text mentions both forms: (i) Shadows form the category of real image forming only when light is obstructed by opaque (non-shining and not clean) objects. They are normally black in colour. All objects under shadow have a transformed colour in terms of black. Though the scientists agree to the formation of shadow in a similar way, but the Jainas go ahead to indicate their material nature.
(ii) The virtual images are formed by the reflecting surfaces of plane and clean mirrors when they are laterally inverted with no change in colour. It is pointed out that the inversion takes place due to specific type of transformations of shadow mattergies. These represent the phenomena a of reflection of light.
It seems that neither lenses nor photographic processes were popular upto eighth century. Hence, other images like those on cinema screens etc. are not mentioned in the commentary. However, the term 'image' may include these types which may also be un-inverted and real ones. The current physical science has, thus, improved and widened the
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
229
www.jainelibrary.org
