Scientific Vision of Lord Mahavira

Author(s): Chaitanyapragyashreeji
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati

Page 63

The Model of the Universe in the Bh.S.
37
space, matter and soul is infinite. 124 According to Acharya Mahapragya, the doctrine of six substances in which time is added to the five extended realities is a later development. This can be surmised from following two contexts in the Bh.S. The heretical teachers like Kalodāyi started discussion that Śrmana Jñātaputra (Lord Mahavir) propounded five Astikāyas. According of among the five substances, the soul is only a sentient entity while other are insentient. Moreover, of the five extended substances matter is corporeal, whereas the other four are non-corporeal. The non-corporeal is devoid of physical qualities i.e. colour, smell, taste and touch. The corporeal, on the other hand, possesses all the qualities.115
The Astikāyas and their properties are as follows. Here only a general description of them has been presented through a table. In the subsequent chapters each has been discussed in details with scientific assessment.
Table No. 2 Five Extended Substances and their Properties Substance Conscious/ Corporeal/ Number Function One With respect Non-conscious Non-corporeal units
Infinite to space
Dharmastikåya
Non-conscious
Non-corporcal
Innumcrablc
Single substance
indifferent auxiliary condition of motion
Cocxtcnsive with cosmic space
Adharmāstikāya
- do -
-do
. do .
-do
- do -
Indifferent auxiliary condition of rest
Akasastikāya
- do
- do.
Infinitc
Receptaclc
.do -
Coexicnsive with cosmic & transcosmic space
Pudgalästikāya
-do
Corporcal
-do -
Inlcgration
Infinite Cocxtensive number of with cosmic substances space
Jivāstikaya
Conscious
Non-corporcal
- do -
1 - do
With respect Scnticnce to single soul it is innumcrable; with respect to Jivästikaya (all the souls) it is infinite
The Line of Demarcation of the Universe
The new discoveries of modern science such as the dual nature of matter i.e. (mass and energy) and the dual nature of sub-atomic particles (wave and particle) are all associated with the reality of space and its contents. Space