Some Problems in Jaina Psychology

Author(s): T G Kalghatgi
Publisher: Karnatak University Dharwar

Page 84

RED
THE SENSE ORGANS AND THE SENSES
In fact, Newton presented his celebrated triangle for explaining the natural phenomenon of the spectrum and the scope of the sense of sight. The triangle places green at the apex, red and violet at the lower points, gray in the centre, and purple at the mid-base. The figure is given in Table III. Instead of this triangle, Wundt proposed a circle. Titchner gives us a pyramid in which every possible chromatic or achromatic variation finds its due place.38 Whatever may be the difference between the views of the Jainas and of modern scientists, it may be said to the credit of the Jainas that they were aware that the five sense qualities are responsible for giving the variation in colour experience. Modern scientists like Ladd and Franklin, and even Newton, have mentioned five primary qualities. According to the Ladd-Franklin theory, thare is a white-black whole and a yellow-blue whole; similarly, it mentions the red-green whole. The Jainas did not mention red-green as a specific sense quality.
TABLE III
Newton's Triangle of Spectrum
GREEN
GREY
PURPLE
38 Spearman: Psychologg Down the Ages, Vol. I. p. 199-200. 39 Tattvärthadhigamasutra, Ch. 11, Sutra 20, with commentary.
Regarding sense qualities like touch, taste and smell, the Jainas give a detailed analysis of the different types of sense qualities. Touch is of eight kinds, like hot (ușna) and cold (śīta); rough (rukṣa) and smooth (snigdha); soft (komala) and hard (kathora); light (laghu) and heavy (guru).39 Modern scientists have realized that skin has the potentiality of yielding a greater diversity of sensations, because the skin proves to be responsive to a wide range of stimuli, like mechanical, thermal, electrical and chemical. Mechanical stimulation gives rise to sensation of touch, contact and pressure. Thermal stimulation produces the sense experience of warm and cold in various degrees. Chemical stimuli have been worked to give rise to pain. Chemicals and drugs have been of much interest for their quality of reducing pain. Electrical stimulation of the skin
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VIOLET