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version of the modern kinetic and electron theories of matter, the Jain philosophy also regards elementary particles inside atom and the molecules in a piece of matter to be in a state of motion.
Although the space-point technically called Pradeśa has been defined as the volume of the space occupied by an atom, but it is mentioned at the same time that an infinite number of atoms can occupy a pradeśa under abnormal conditions.
The modern science has discovered a substance called nuclear matter, first discovered by Adams which is two thousand times denser than platinum, the heaviest metal on earth. The formation of such a matter in certain stars such as the dark companion of Sirius (the brightest star in northern heavens) can be explained in no other way but by saying that somehow a very large number of atoms have become packed in a small compass in nuclear matter. Writing about the nuclear matter, the great astrophysicist Eddington once said that one ton of nuclear matter can be easily carried in a waist coat pocket.
According to Välmiki Rāmāyaṇa, the bow of Siva which was broken by Bhagwan Rāma was 13 cms in length and was made of nuclear matter called Vajra
(4) Medium of motion or Dharma :-Dharma has been defined by Jains as the auxiallary cause of moticn. As water helps the movement of a moving fish so does the Dharma help the motion of the matter and soul. But it does not move those which are not moving. It should be noted that the word Dharma in Jain cannons has been used entirely in a different technical sense here than it is ordinarily understood to mean. Hindu philosophers have used this word in the sense of duty or righteous deeds only, but here the Jains mean the Aether of space, the medium of motion peculiar although it may seem. It is formless, inactive and eternal. It has none of the qualities associated with matter, i. e. it is devoid of qualities of contact, taste, color, smell and sound. It is a continuous medium pervading the whole universe. It remains unchanged by the motion of objects.
The first problem before the scientists was that if light waves were real waves they must be waves in something. They were plainly not waves in matter, it was necessary, therefore, to invent something else, which was not matter, for them to be waves in. This something they called the Aether and imagined it as an utterly thin and elastic fluid that flowed undisturbed between the particles of the material universe and filled all empty space of every kind.
What was this Aether like ? Material media are penetrated by aether, their molecules being surrounded by it such as the leaves of tree are surrounded by air. But difficulties and contradictions appeared at once. For, it was proved to be : (1) thinner than the thinnest gas; (2) more rigid than steel; (3) absolutely the same everywhere; (4) absolutely weightless; and (5) in the neighborhood of any electron, immensely heavier than lead. It is difficult to imagine the planets as moving with their enormous velocities through aether without any loss of energy. The motions
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