YJA Convention 2000 07 LA Fourth

Author(s): Young Jains of America (YJA)
Publisher: Young Jains of America YJA USA

Page 60

Kaala
SCIENCE AND LOGIC IN JAINISM
presented by Sanjay Mehta
Kaala or time though not an element of the physical universe may be mentioned here. Since change and motion are admitted to be real, time also must be considered real. The real or absolute time as contrasted with the relative time is constituted by simple elements known as kaalanus or instants. Instants, points and atoms are the characteristic conceptions of Jain thought and in this respect it has a wonderful corroboration from the field of modern mathematics.
What does it mean to say Jainism is 'logically complete'? Religions in general aren't based on logic and reasoning, so why should it matter if Jainism is? What do Anekantavada, Syadvada and Nayavada contribute to the world of logic and reason? How are those systems similar to or different from western philosophy's developments in logic or similar areas?
The Jain thikers in distinguishing time from the five astikayas made use of an important idea. Astikaya is spatiality or extensive magnitude. This extensive magnitude is denoted by a technical name, tiryak prachaya or horizontal extension. When the simple elements, say, the points are so arranged in a series where each term is an item also in another series, we must have the two dimensional series which will correspond to surface or extension. Wherever there is such a tiryak-pracaya we have astikaya. But time or kaala has only urdhava prachaya. The elements are in a forward direction. The series is mon dimensional or linear order. Therefore kaala has no extension either directly or indirectly. Hence it is not an astikaya. Thought it is not astikaya it is distinctly a real entity which accounts for changes in other things.
Where in general does science clash with religion? Is it also true of Jainism? Is Jainism logical in the sense that if one assumes a set of axioms, then everything else is a natural logical consequence? If so, what are these axioms? What are those fundamental principles of Jainism?
Reading:
Such are the characteristics of real time. This should not be confounded with vyavahara kaala or relative time which is measured by some conventional units of either long or short duration. These conventional distinctions would have no meaning if they are not coordinated in a single real time series.
Postulates of Theistic Systems Compared with the
Postulates of Jainism
By A.T.S.
In the two outlines below, like-numbered axioms correspond to the same area of philosophical inquiry:
The Six Dravyas
Theistic Postulates
1.
The universe was created by a Deity (or from an illusionary expansion of the Deity, as in main-stream Hindu thought) who possesses the powers of preservation, destruction, and the administration of grace.
2.
The universe operates upon laws consciously determined by the intelligent design and will of the Deity.
The term Dravya denotes any existence which has the important characteristic of persistence through change. Jain conception of reality excludes both a permanent and unchanging real of the Permenidion type and also the mere external flux of Haraclites. An unchanging permanent and mere change without substratum are unreal, or impossible abstractions. Jain system admits only the dynamic reality of dravya. Dravya then is that which has a permanent substantiality which manifests through change of appearing and disappearing. Utpada - origin, vyaya - decay and dhrauvya - permanency form the triple nature of the Real. To emphasise the underlying identity alone would end Vedantic conception of this Real as Brahman. To emphasise the change alone would result in the Kshanika vada of the Buddhist, the reality as a stream of discrete and momentary elements. The concept of dravya reconciles both these aspects and combines them into an organic unity. It is an identity expressing through difference, a permanency continuing through change. It corresponds to the modern conception of organic development rather in its Hegelian aspect. It has duration; it is movement; it is the elan vital. The five astikayas and kaala or time are the six dravyas or the real existences.
3.
The universe contains an eternal being, identifiable as the Deity and synonymous with "eternal life", which may be described as eternally possessing the attributes of omniscience, omnipotence, infinite perception, and infinite bliss.
4.
The universe contains individual lives - most significantly humans - that individually owe their existence, and hence their deepest and abiding reverence, to the Deity.
The universe is full of adversities toward those individual lives which prevent them, in certain ways, from receiving, witnessing, or realizing the Deity's grace. The cause of such adversity may be recognized in the cosmic illusion (maya), ignorance of the Deity (ajnan), rebellion against the Deity, or the Deity's negative other (the Evil One).
The Deity sustains the possibilities of salvation and grace, from a source-which is either entirely or partially external to the individual lives it has created - and which is receivable through the individual lives' acknowledgment of faith in, submission to, or contemplative witness of the Deity's inherent qualities of omniscience, omnipotence, infinite perception, and infinite bliss.
Salvation is a merging, meeting, or union between the Deity and an individual life it has created, from which there can be no fall from the Deity's everlasting power and grace.
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