Scientific Secrets of Jainism

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

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Science Highlights Jainism
Tam honoured to be asked by Muni Nandighoshvijayjito write a foreword to his book "Scientific Secrets of Jainism". The book is a collection of essays by Muniji written over several years. There has not been enough time for me to study all the articles but what I have read has given me a deep impression that Muniji sets out various themes which indicate that Jain science accords well with modern science. Jain science is, of course, qualitative as expounded by Tirthankaras whereas modern science is very much quantitative. However in both cases the underlying concepts are based on rational arguments. Albert Einstein, in his article entitled "Science ana Religion" ( 1940, Nature, Vol. 146, pp. 605-607) expressed the situation as :
"Science, without religion, is lame, Religion, without science, is blind."
Jainism is science with religion. He adds:
"Science is the attempt at the posterior reconstruction of existence by the process of conceptualisation."
Jain science encompasses every aspect of the cosmos, including the living and nonliving entities. Einstein also adds:
"A person who is religiously enlightened appears to me to be one who has, to the best of his ability, liberated himself from the fetters of his selfish desires"
Thus, Einstein is describing the Jain way of life. Muniji not only describes the historical background to various aspects of the modern science but also compares and contrasts it with Jain science. He admirably shows the limitation of modern science. Rightly, he also appeals to scientists to take up challenges, e. g. on pp. 13 "So our scientists have to do a special research in this field (relativity) and they have to put forth scientific secrets, shown by our Indian philosophical tradition, before the world with a modern scientific method."
In my book, “The Scientific Foundation of Jainism", (1990, Motilal Banarasidass publishers, Delhi), I attempt to render the basic principles of philosophy and ethics of Jainism in terms of modern scientific terminology. Such endeavours are required to bring forth Jain science for modern audience - Jains and non-Jains alike. I think the writing on "Jainism as it is is one important endeavour, but to put its relevance in the 20th and 21st ceniury's concept is a somewhat harder task which requires urgent attention. Even the fundamental Jain concept of Karmic particles as Karmon, Pudgala as mass-energy etc. are not well understood. A long time before even photons and electrons were discovered, Jain science preached elementary particles such as Karmic particles. Karmic particles or Karmons are unique concept of Jain science as only these particles can interact with the soul. Jain science seems to be the only science which explains both natural as well as 'super natural
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