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t the outset of my exposition, I cite the motivating quotation of Albert Einstein (Nature 1940, the topmost scientific journal) that
Modern Science and the Four Noble Truths of Jains
By K. V. Mardia
"Science without religion is lame, Religion without science is blind."
Jain Dharma has developed through many centuries and has provided a rich inheritance of universal thinking/philosophy on a scientific basis, which means many Jain concepts have more relevance now than ever before. However, the ancient Jain texts are written in an obscure technical language that makes them almost impenetrable to modern times. Some of the concepts are very deep and to us now it is surprising that these could have been propounded in a non-scientific era. To interpret in a concise way what is written in Sanskrit and Prakrit needs a quantum leap. However, the need to reinterpret the concept is extremely urgent so as to make it palatable to the present generation and the generations to come. An attempt to synthesise and summarise Jain Dharma would be worthwhile to clear the confusion caused by rituals and obscure interpretations.
With this in mind, after research work for many years, I composed Four Noble Truths (Chatvari Arya Satya) of Jain Dharma with help of many prominent Gurus and Scholars. These were published in my book (Mardia, 1990) which has attempted to explain Jain science, logic, and philosophy in terms of modern concepts and ideas. The axioms (Truths) are formulated from various old scriptures and translated into English here, but for the original source see the book. Here we make a new attempt to explain these very briefly in terms of the basic modern science.
The Four Noble Truths are given in the diagram here as concentric circles that show the gradual evolution to the central aim to become a siddha, that is, to achieve moksha. These are:
THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS OF JAIN DHARMA Truth I: 'The soul exists in contamination with karmic matter and it longs to be purified.' 'Living beings differ due to the varying density and types of karmic matter.'
Truth 2:
Truth 3:
'The karmic bondage leads the soul through the states of existences (cycles).' Truth 4A: 'Karmic fusion is due to perverted views, non-restraint, carelessness, passions and activities.'
Truth 4B: Violence to oneself and others results in the formation of the heaviest new karmic matter, whereas helping others towards Moksha with positive non-violence results into the lightest new karmic matter.'
Truth 4C: 'Austerity forms the karmic shield against new karmons as well as setting the decaying process in the old karmic matter.'
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44 Karmic fotos in dur to perverted views, train, careless, pads and act
Cerity for the charms as well as setting the decaying process in the old kar
s in the formation of the heaviest newkami, whereas helping others towards Moke with peditions
3: The karmic bondage leads the soul through the states of existences (cycles) Living beings differ due to the varying density and types of karmic a exists in contamination with karmic matter and it longs to
Vistence to ourself and others
Four Noble Truths
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"The Four Noble Truths of Jain Dharma"
These Noble Truths respectively represent: Truth I.
Truth 2. Truth 3. Truth 4A. Truth 4B. Truth 4C.
Interaction between Soul and Karmic Matter Hierarchy of Life
Cycles of Birth and Death Karmic Fusion in Practice
Activities and Absorption of Karmons The Path to Self-conquest.
Truths 1-3 set out the science of the soul, and the three parts of Truth 4 give their Jain applications. The foundation of Jainism starts from the first Noble Truth that believes in the existence of karmic particles or karmons; these are unusual elementary particles in the sense that they interact with the soul. That is, Jainism explains life through the interaction of such small invisible atomic particles and the soul. Invisible particles such as photons which give light became known only at the beginning of the last century. So it is surprising that Tirthankaras could propound such a concept of 'spiritua photons' so many centuries ago. If they are physica particles then it is still a challenge for science to hunt their existence. These particles form what is called karmic matter, which is embedded in the soul, and this matter obscures inherent key properties of soul such as infinite bliss.
The second Noble Truth implies that this karmic matter is responsible for different species. So in some sense karmic particles are far more subtle than DNA. It has only now become clear through genomics that there is hardly any difference between DNA genes in human beings anc chimpanzees and many others. There are also questions that prompt a further look into Jain belief and cloning The Jain belief is that all souls are separate entities, that is individuals, whereas one feels that cloning would imply new life can be born. But this is a misunderstanding
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