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236 : Scientific Contents in Prāksta Canons
mical changes can be brought about by heating or supplying the necessary energy for them. The conversion of raw pot into baked pot by fire in five to eleven instants is their popular example. In current language, it means that the chemical changes take place by the mixed process of association and dissociation through thermal energy, the only form of energy known at that period. Of course, one now knows that there are many complex chemical reactions taking place during the baking process.
The Jainas have also thought on this problem. They have pointed out that new forms are made by simple association, dissociation and a mixed process. It has also been pointed out that visible molecules are formed by mixed process. Some scholars have used fission and fusion terms for these processes. This does not seem to be correct because of their high energy requirements. These processes are a later development in Jaina atomic theory during Kundakunda age. Previously, Bhagavati 39 mentions that bonding could take place due to the presence of some glue or sticky substance ( sineha ) which makes it possible to contact the binding atoms intimately. The word 'sineha' has been shown to have many meanings. Per chance, it could be precursor to the properties of roughness and smoothness not found in canons jointly. It is said that two atoms do not combine in this way but more than two atoms do combine.
Kundakundao and Umāsvātio' have gone deeper into this problem and have made great advance over the canonical age concepts. They have postulated some fundamental rules for governing atomic combinations based on their electrical nature as pointed out by Pujyapāda". Accordingly, all atoms have quantitatively and qualitatively differing electrical nature of smoothness and roughness akin to current positive and negative charges. Their combinations take place due to nonelastic ( counter-blowing ) and high velocity collisions. Atoms always combine totally leading to chemical change. Atoms do
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