Jaina World of Non Living

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

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The Jaina world of Non-living
time of this continuum, thus, serve only subjective mental constructs dependent upon the observer like equator or north pole etc. However, there are some scientists like Reinbach who argue for the objective reality of the continuum as well as separate space and time. According to them, mental constructs may be realistic also like the concept of a simple straight line in a curved space. The non-acceptance of the concept of absolute space may be due to three facts :
It is not possible to know and detect it. (2) The physics of today can work even without it as the concept
does not serve any useful purpose for common man. The concept may be logical rather than scientific. Thus, the matter is still under serious exploration and a duet between the scientists and philosophers is on. As has already been said, the absolute space has no useful purpose for the scientists and,
hence, they are not accepting it in general. 22. The infinity of philosophers' space has also been reduced to finiteness in extension because of the curvature in the continuum where one can find a ray of light may have a round trip during about 10 years, though this period may be counted as nearly equal to infinite extension. However, its infiniteness with respect to time is accepted without much difficulty. 23. The time is also postulated as a reality though it is atomic, nonspace-pointed rather than extended like other realities. This has three varieties : Present, past and future. We live only in the present which is very short.
There is a difference of opinion about time being an absolute reality in S and D version. In fact, it has two varieties : absolute and apparent. The S-version maintains that the absolute time is taken as the modes of the living and non-living entities due to their modificatory existences. Modes represent the specific realities themself. The apparent time is taken as a reality as it serves many beneficial functions of maintaining continuity and modification. The apparent time is quantitative in terms of Samaya (time instants) units and their multiples measured on the basis of solar or lunar motions. It is limited to those
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