Jaina World of Non Living

Author(s): N L Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

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The Jaina world of Non-living
motion has been unique in early days but it now stands as a prerelativistic concept which has served useful purpose for macro-cosmic world. It seems to have gone historically important concept now. Acārya Siddhasena also doubted about the existence of these two realities even in the fifth century A.D.
14. The reality of medium of rest (Adharma) has just the attributes similar to the medium of motion as in section 12 above, but it serves opposite function in comparison to it. It is its counterpart. It is an essential and complementary component of the universe maintaining equilibrium. Without this medium, the living and non-living entities would be scattered throughout space and there will be chaos everywhere. This medium of rest binds the things together neutrally, keeps the house in stable order and limits the boundary of the occupied universe. The activities like sitting, standing, sleeping, concentrating, keeping silence and the like are all due to this reality. It is a stabilising factor. The existence of its medium (and also the earlier one) is inferred only through their functions. This medium has one more important use besides maintaining equilibrium. It is that it is also instrumental in dividing the universe in occupied and non-occupied parts like the medium of motion. 15. The reality of medium of rest has been equated with the Newtonian concept of gravitation applicable to earthly and heavenly bodies, and macroworld and microworld. In fact, it is a force of attraction working under some definite laws. Its nature was not accurately known in his times but its non-materiality was also in mind. Einsteinean age has added inertness to it. But it is not this force which could be equated with this reality. It is the medium or Field through which it works. Thus, it is gravitational (and now electromagnetic too) field or generally 'Field' which comes nearer to the Jaina concept. Thus, here again, Jainas fare well with Newtonian concepts. In the days of relativity, this concept of Field has also been virtually dissolved in terms of the natural effects of the curvature of space under four-dimensional space-time continuum containing heavy or light masses causing curvature in surrounding space. Thus, apples do not fall due to gravitation but due to curvature in space. The Newtonean laws work here too but they have better theoretical basis
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