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The Enduring Significance of Jaina Cosmography : 15
apollo go to the moon?' have been published by the community (Cort 2001: 213 n.12). Religious and secular education presents Jains with two very different models of our cosmos and their reconciliation is sometimes problematic enough to cause individuals to quit their ascetic careers (Dundas 2002: 93). In the case of cosmography, scriptural and modernized Jainism clashes." In one of the forewords to Jaina Bharati, written by a young female ascetic who before joining the Jaina community of ascetics completed a degree in biosciences from a secular university, we see how scriptural and modernized Jainism meet:
Whatever has been said by the Lord Jinendra Deva is the ultimate truth. If we see the other side, the development by the modern science & technology is also introducing itself to the whole world most remarkably. Then, what to do? If we should accept the principles stated by the Lord even when we cannot testify them or we should fully tune ourselves on the line of modern science, which is present before us with full proofs. Although the latter option is the most approachable for all of us, yet we should accept that modern science is not complete in itself. Completeness lies with the soul who has attained Omniscience. Thus, we have to be guided by the norms stated Jinendra Deva and should be fully convinced about what he has said. We have not to question whether Sumeru mountain, heavens or hells are there or not, yes! They are there because the Omniscient Lord has seen them (2007: xxxxvii-viii).
The statement is interesting since it comes from an individual who stands between the two orientations, knowing both modern science and Jaina scriptures. Undoubtedly she is familiar with modern geography of the world and the Copernican model of the universe, but having become a Jaina ascetic, scriptural Jainism is given precedence. In the end, modern science can never beat the omniscience of a Jina.
