Scientific Secrets of Jainism

Author(s): Nandighoshvijay
Publisher: Research Institute of Scientific Secrets from Indian Oriental Scriptures Ahmedabad

Page 127

96
Scientific Secrets of Jainism
6, 7, 8, 9. Here we can see that if we count the numbers from 1 to 9, from left each consecutive number to the right is greater by 1. Though zero was placed after nine, It is not greater than nine. Therefore, in an arithmetical series, zero is placed before 1 and after -1.
There is a book of Pingala on prosody. It was written perhaps in the second century B.C. It was found in that book that zero was for the first time used as a symbol. Also in the book of Jain Acārya named Jinabhadrasūriji, zero is used as a symbol of emptiness.28 Mathematics In Ancient India
Like the top crown of the peacock, like the valuable pearl or the mountain peak, mathematics occupied the most, superior status in the Vēdāngas.
- Vēdānga Jyotisa
The most significant source of information regarding the ancient Indian culture is the four Vēdas. Of course, European researchers and Indian researchers are not all of the same opinion regarding the time of composition of Vēdas. But all agree that Vēdas are more ancient than any of the Western civilizations and there is no doubt about it.
Archaeological relics of Mohan-Jo-Doro and Harappan etc. belong to what we call the Indus (Sindhu) valley civilization and that is the Hindu Civilization which is believed to be the most ancient. According to the researchers. Vedas appear to have been composed a little later than 3000 B.C. Vedas and other literary works were preserved for centuries in oral tradition, i.e. the tradition of listening and memorizing,. They are, therefore, also called 'Śrutis'. Brahmin literature appears to have been composed in the vicinity of 200 B.C.
First glimpses of mathematics are visible in the Brahmin literature. Evolution of arithmetic, geometry and astronomy is discernible from them. Vēdāngas and mathematics relating to astronomy dealt with in Vēdāngas were composed during 2000 B.C. to 1500 B.C. In those days, there were mainly two divisions of knowledge :
1. Parā-Vidyā which fully dealt with spirituality and 2. Aparā-Vidyā which dealt with secular prescriptions, prohibitions and rituals. Mathematics and other sciences formed parts of Apara-Vidyā and they were