Book Title: Tulsi Prajna 1996 07
Author(s): Parmeshwar Solanki
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati

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Page 148
________________ Vol. XXII, No. 2 meditative perception. Though many philosophies have not given details about the types of knowledges, but Jainas specify five types of cognitions. The scientific knowledge is involved in empirical direct cognition while telepathy, clairvoyance and absolute cognition is intuitive knowledge. The scriptural knowledge is the fifth one. Thus, the Jainas follow the act of three types of cognitions wbich they also call instruments of valid cognition by causal relationship. As they originate from the same source-human mind, they could be assumed to be somehow closely related despite the facts of Table 1. Concepts about Reality and Universe Both ways of knowing things have given us concepts about universe and its multi-dimensional phenomena. Most scientists and philosophers presume the objective reality of the universe and its contents. Pure morism (animism or inanimism) has changed and since the days of dualistic or Cartesian appreach, spirit and matter have been taken as independant realities. The spirit has been termed by various, supposed to be equivalent, names during the ages : body?, mind, soul, brain, consciousness etc. In fact, it is a living unit now called a non-material force of which these elements form a part. The living is responsible for knowing about self and other material world. The living one employed the methods, as above, to learn about the non-living Table II shows the postuled concepts about this world upto nineteenth contury-a period known as classical, Newtonian, Cartesian or mechanistic. With twentieth century, starts what we call modern age in which quantum theory and theory of relativity play the paradigmic role for new concepts and ideas, the summary of which is also given in Table II. One observes that almost all points have an altogether changed form in contrast with the calssical ideas. It is said that the modern age pro. vides a consistent, logical and problem-solving view of the universe beginning in show compatiblity even with paranormal or eastern intuitionism. Table III gives a comparative statement about modern scientific age of relativity and Jaina canons, It is ciearly observed with reference to table II and III that twentieth century scientists are moving closer to Jain philosophy in their conceptology about the universe. However, it also connotes the idea that the position of other jaina postulates seem to be more inclined towards Newtonian age. Theory of relativity Different people have varying opinions about the theory of relativity. Some say that it is very difficult and there are very few Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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