Scientific Secrets of Jainism

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

Page 162

The Jambudvipa Laghusangrahaṇi And The Modern Science
Concept of Time
On one hand, there is a great difference between principles of Jain geography and astronomy and those of the modern geography and astronomy and many questions have been raised against Jain scriptures but on the other hand, the principles mentioned by Jain scripturists in the field of physics, have proved to be entirely true. There is a wonderful similarity between the principles regarding time, space and matter given in Jain scriptures and the principles of modern science.
Ancient great sages and modern great scientists have given serious and elaborate thought to the concept of time. In Jain philosophy, much has been written about time, space and pudgala (matter). Similarly, in modern physics, western scientists have written a lot and even today new researches as being made. We shall compare here the beliefs accepted in the Jain philosophcal tradition and in modern physics.
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The relativity of time according Jain scriptures, shown by Śri Vijaya Udayasūriji while commenting on the word frif 'samayakhittammi' in the verse 'savvē vi pavvayavarā fa quarı' (verse No. 29 ) of 'Jambudvipasangrahaṇi ' sūtra and the relativity of time shown by Einstein, the great scientist of the present century, have a wonderful similarity.
The Jain philosophy shows two types of time (1) relative time and (2) absolute time.
Einstein says that time-practical time i.e. relative time, day and night etc. are only on the earth because day and night are caused by daily motion of the earth i.e. rotation of the earth on its axis. Jain scripturists say that day and night are only in the two and a half islands ( samayakṣētra ) where the sun, the moon, planets, constellations, stars etc. move around Mt. Mēru. Such divisions of time as day and night are caused only by rotation of the sun and the moon.
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Einstein says that there is nothing like day and night in space. Jain scriptures say that outside the two and a half continents where the sun, the moon etc. are motionless, there is nothing like day and night.
Still however, the life-span of living beings outside the two and a half continents and of the celestial and hellish beings is calculated according to