Scientific Secrets of Jainism

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

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Now almost all accept that the Jain philosophy is very ancient. Many people believe that the doctrines given in the ancient treatises of Jain philosophy are systematic, well-arranged and logical. Regarding this Śrī Nemichandji Jain, the editor of 'Tirthankara
writes:
Scientific Secrets of Jainism
·
"The philosophical aspect of Jain philosophy is logical and no one can refute it and there is no question about it but when it comes to geography, astronomy and food restrictions, many questions arose because these are the subjects that suffered discents from time to time."5
It is, therefore, necessary to discuss these subjects properly in the context of today. Is the present visible earth really round like a ball? Does it really move? These two questions against the Jain geography are really important. According to the Jain doctrine, the earth is motionless and the Sun, the moon, planets, constellations, stars etc. move in space around Mt. Mēru in a round strip at the height of 790 to 900 Yojanas from the level surface of the earth. Jain scriptures show very minute calculations of motion and change of place of the Sun and the moon. The tradition of making paintings, showing the real nature of the objects of geography and astronomy in Jain manuscripts is at least a thousand years old and it prevails even today.$
When science had not at all developed in the west and when Western civilisation had no knowledge of astronomy. Jainācāryas had given minute and detailed information about astronomy and geography in Indian civilization and especially in Jain philosophical tradition. The later Jainācāryas have collected the information in some treatises and their commentaries.
But along with the description of eternal objects of Jambudvipa, they have not given even the slighest description of the earth of their times, its shape etc. Nothing is, therefore, known about opinions and beliefs of the common man of those days, regarding the shape of the earth. On the other hand, geography and astronomy have so much developed today that with various instruments they have shown its shape and located the place of the earth in the solar system. On the one hand, ancient Jainācāryas are completely silent on this point and on the other hand, the present day Jain scholars or Jainācāryas cannot give correct information about the real shape of the earth and its location. One finds no reference to it in Jain literature