Neuroscience and Karma

Author(s): Jethalal S Zaveri, Mahendramuni
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati

Page 10

On the other hand, dogmatic beliefs and the very definiteness of the answers given by religious scholars cause scientific-minded modern young men to view them with suspicion and skepticism if not with utter disbelief. It is essential to satisfy the skeptic by scientific methodology and convince thern about the superiority of wisdom above superfluous knowledge.
Science will not, because it cannot, answer all the questions of great interest to human mind and for human welfare. But science has made tremendous progress during the last hundred years in the fields of psychology, endocrinology and neuroscience. Neuroscientists have carefully and precisely mapped out centres of pain and pleasure, besides identifying the limbic system in the brain which is the seat of our emotions. Discovery of the centres of anger and aggression by electric stimulation has clarified hitherto mysterious significance of self-generated anger in canonical literature. In short, science can show us methods and methodology for expanding and elucidating the secrets of much ancient wisdom contained in the sacred canons. In other words, the synthesis of the ancient wisdom and modern scientific knowledge can help us to integrate the spiritual insight with the scientific approach for creating a spiritual-cum-scientific personality. This is exactly what the festival of wisdom aimed at. This work is an humble effort to continue the task of development of an integrated personality which was started in prajñā parva. Karmavada --The Doctrine of Karman
Karman and rebirth are the two most important presuppositions of almost all schools of Indian Philosophy. Karmavāda -- the doctrine of karman— had to compete with a number of other doctrines --Kalavāda (the supremacy of time), Niyativāda (the supremacy of determinism) etc. about creation and events. The Jain philosophers accorded proper place to other doctrines while installing Karmavāda in the supreme position, as the ultimate determinant of the course of events. Even time (kāla),
1. See Prologue I.