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Reality and Matter : Definition, Properties and Classification : 157
called ( positive ) ether of space was also postulated at the same time. Both of them were assumed material in the beginning but this nature was modified later to be non-material and inert. The development of relativity has cast some doubts on these postulates and the phenomena explained by them are now explained on the basis of 4-dimensional world. This description suggests, had the Jaina concepts been known to the world before Newton, science would have made a high intellectual jump. The above also indicates that the scientists are now moving far off the Jaina thoughts. The progress of knowledge has always been a continuously growing process.
We are concerned here with the world-based divisions of reality by Jainas. Among the different realities, the non-living reality seems to be quite important. It is responsible for the physical phenomena of the world. Table 7 indicates that it has two varieties - material and non-material. The material nonliving includes the current matter and various forms of energy and henceforth to be called mattergy while the other class includes the mediums of rest, motion, accommodation and change. This chapter will be limited to the material non-living only as we can directly study about it by many methods today and compare and contrast our current knowledge with the canonical one. Definition of Non-living Reality or Mattergy
The non-living material reality is most important. It is called Pudgala. It is of interest to learn about this reality involving the physical world of mattergy described by the philosophers. The term mattergy has been coined for this reality here, though it does not carry the same meaning as the original Samskrta term. The above mentioned definitions of reality apply to it. It is sat or existential. It can be specified by general and specific properties. Grammatically, the Samskrta term is very sound and consists of two words -pud and gala connoting the two important qualities of mattergy -- association (pud- ) and dissociation (gala ). Bhagavati 39 and Umāsvāti40 describe
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