Book Title: Scientific Contents in Prakrta Canons
Author(s): N L Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

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Page 239
________________ Jaina Theory of Skandhas or Aggregations : 217 favourable conditions and other factors. It seems these represent the animistic trend of early Jainism as found in canons. However, the current science does not agree with these arguments and points out their non-living nature though the canons tell us these could be bothways. For example, air is necessary for life and lamps cannot burn without it. In contrast, electric lamps burn only in an airless atmosphere. These could become non-living by many processes some of which are mentioned in Ācārānga even. The Vaišeşikas 79 presume Taijasa atoms with hot touch and white glistening colour. They consist of four forms -- fuelfire, sky-fire, biochemical-fire and mineral-fire. Out of these, the Jainas have only the first two. The biochemical-fire or heat is produced in the body by which it functions due to digestional conversions of various intakes. It is termed as stomach-fire. Mineral-fire is said to be found in many minerals containing gold, silver etc. This is not acceptable to the Jainas who also do not aggree to the exclusive nature of hot touch to the fire aggregates which include gem fires too. Buddhas have Taijasa as an aggregate with hotness causing cooking of materials. Table 8 clearly indicates that the Jainas have detailed the Vaiseșika fires. Physical and Chemical Changes in Aggregates Mentioned in Canons The canons do not mention the changes in mattergy in terms of current knowledge about bonding. However, many of the changes have been mentioned which could be classified under the current heads. The physical changes are temporary, reversible easily without changing the internal nature of the constituents and they generally do not follow any law. The chemical changes are just the reverse and follow laws of chemical combinations and bonding. They are generally irreversible but they could be reversed under harder conditions. A selection of phenomena found in canons are classified below in table 9. It is clear that majority of changes or phenomena Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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