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(126) : Nandanavana
to" regular periods. Similarly, the chemists know about zero groups of elements in their periodic table, which means a group of elements which have virtually no reactivity and which are prior to the regular groups of elements. Thus, zero will have meanings of either "(a) negation or (b) prior to" in many cases. There may be zero day, date or year also which will mean a starting or reference point as in the case of zero temperature etc. today. Correspondingly, there may be "non-zero" time etc. also. In a 28-day 13-month calendar developed by Svami Satyabhakta, the excess of 1 day after 364 or in a leap year has been called 'Zero day' which might-mean additional or un-named
day. 34
1.3 Food Sciences: The Sūtrakrtānga-cūrņi has mentioned an uncommon meaning of the term as an entity, which may be beneficial for døgs. This is etymological meaning, the origin of which has to be traced out. The same text also gives another common meaning in terms of solitary or lonely 2. Sūnya in Abstract Sciences : The Sūnya term appears in its varied meanings in the texts of abstract sciences like logic, epistemology, philosophy, spiritualism and mathematics. 2.1 Logic: Śūnya Illustration: Logic is a science where a probandum is proved with the help of reason and illustration. There are many types of illustrations, which involve a zero illustration also. This is defined as that which is deficient both ways - positively and negatively, to prove a probandum. The term " Śūnya " here will mean useless. For example:
(a) The sound is eternal (i) because it is non-material (ii) as the earthen pot.
(b) Buddha is omniscient (i) because he is actor (ii) like a nonomniscient
The illustrations of earthen pot and non-omniscient are zero illustrations here. They neither support the probandum nor the probans. Thus, in logic, " Śünya illustration" means a useless or a non-proving illustration. 2.2 Epistemology: Śūnya Naya' (Zero Standpoint): The Jainas postulate that every entity is a conglomerate of many attributes. One
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