Scientific Aspects of Jainism

In Jainism the reality is described by using the tool of Anekantvada or Pluralism which says that a thing is multifaceted and depending upon our perspective it shall appear to be different from different directions. Nonetheless  reality is the integral view of all such uni directional views. For example a cuboid appears to be square when seen from the sides.  The soul or the Jiva is inherently pure , omniscient, omnipotent and blissful at all times. However in worldly state he undergoes transmigration traversing from hell to heaven and from human form to animal forms. How is it possible that the soul which is pure and omniscient , has to undergo such transformations ? This is explained by use of Anekant. While from real view or Nishchaya view the soul is totally pure, from Vyavhara view or practical view he is shackled by the bonds of karmas from beginingless time, hence his knowledge has been obscured, which leads him to believe his body as the soul and all his efforts are directed towards benefiting the body. The real view is also true and the practical view is also true since it can be seen so. The integration of these views only is the reality and when one realises this , he can direct his efforts towards purification of the soul from karmas and attaining the pure state of Moksha.

            In the same way the spirituality and science are two aspects of the same coin. While spirituality deals with the soul which can only be experienced and not established  by any conventional  proof, the science deals with practical aspects of the matter which bases all hypotheses based upon proofs. Both aspects are real and not imaginary. Integration of these two views provides the knowledge of the reality. One cannot ignore or suppress the practical view since it provides a knowledge of the way the things are , without knowing them one cannot identify soul from non soul.

            Hence Jainism did not limit the description of the entities of the universe to just soul ( jiva) and non soul ( ajiva). The scientific aspect was also equally important to be known since without knowing it , one cannot understand the functioning of the soul and its characteristics as different from non soul. Therefore although they are two sides of the coin , the fact is that the two sides only make the coin.

            The written scripture of Jainism is about 2000 years old which has its roots in the divine sermon of Bhagwan Mahaveer which was given about 2500 years back. It must be borne in mind while studying them that most of the terminology was not scientific since their vocabulary was different and we have to interpret them in the correct perspective.

            It is quite astounding to learn the types of details which were very elaborately and scientifically described in the scripture  belonging to that period and which are still valid. The reason was that the knowledge was derived from direct knowledge  i.e. clairvoyance or omniscience while today our knowledge is indirectly derived through senses with usage of arguments/hypothesis  to establish a fact hence the theories keep on getting updated.  It is also important to note that the scientific aspects formed an essential part of texts since description of universe is incomplete without it.

            Jainism describes six primary entities which constitute the universe. They are Jiva or the soul, Pudgala which is matter and has the property of associating and disassociating . The description does not end here. The reason is very important. One cannot properly realise the soul unless he knows all the rest of the non soul along with their characteristics so that he does not have any doubts in his mind and he can understand the reasons for the bondage of the soul. It continues now to describe the entities Dharmastikaya and Adharmastikaya which are quite unique and contrary to popular use of these words.  The first one is defined as medium of motion like water for the fish, and the second one is described as the one which permits rest like the shade of the tree provides to the traveler. If one looks at them, one wonders why such entities were described at all. But they underline the scientific aspect of Jainism. The closest one identifies Dharmastikaya is to Ether in modern day terminology for defining the medium through which electro magnetic waves traverse. Although concept of Ether has been discarded now, but the fact is such a medium does exist which provides for the transmission of electromagnetic waves hence concept of Dharmastikaya is very much valid. Similarly Adharmastikaya  is analogous to modern gravitational field which ensures the stability of the universe keeping it at rest.

            The remaining two dravyas are no less interesting. One is kala or time. While practical time is measured in hours and minutes, there is a real time which is described as occupying the entire universe like jewels at each spatial point individually. The beauty is that the kala is not same at any two points ( which is true !) and they are independent catalytic agents for manifestation of matter and soul. The last is akasha which is space and which is further divided into two as lokakasha ( universal space ) and alokakasha ( infinite space). The lokakasha is bounded containing all souls and matter which  is surrounded by infinite alokakasha which does not support any matter or even time. Albert Einstein had also postulated the space to be bounded and not infinite since infinite space cannot sustain the energy. It is very interesting to know that the lokakasha perfectly fits his definition of bounded universe. The alokakasha is infinite which does not support any matter or even time hence is unbounded like the postulation of Einstein !

            Returning back to Jiva and pudgala we would find no less surprising revelations. The Jiva  exists in vegetables , plants etc was told long before Prof Basu proved it.  The permanu or the atom occupies infinitesimal space and joins with other permanus to create skandha  or molecules. It is interesting to note that the rules for  joining of atoms are dependent on its dryness or wetness and the difference of them having a certain number which is so analogous to today’s terminology of positive and negative charge ! However the real surprise lies in telling that the jiva as well as pudgala have the property of sharing same space with other jiva and pudgala known as avagahan property. This implies that in the space occupied by one atom, several other atoms can also reside. This is the only way we can explain why the density of black hole is much much higher than  that of any known element on earth ! This is something which is yet to be explained by scientists.

            Law of conservation of energy and matter was declared long back in  Jainism , so also relativity which forms the foundation of Jainism. The interaction of karma particles to soul for binding and fruitation has been elaborated in detail to explain transmigration. These particles function as particles while binding and on fruitation they give rise to a sort of electromagnetic field which induces further action on the part of the soul , which in turn attracts more particles in the vicinity and their influx leads to binding of them as future karmas. Eight types of karmas with their different properties, duration, intensity etc have all been described very scientifically.

The purpose of all these descriptions was to explain to the human being, the roles of different entities and how soul was different from all of them which  can be realised by only experiencing it and cannot really be described in words. The practical view functions as the ladder for reaching the goal wherein when the goal is reached, the ladder is discarded. In the same way, the scientific aspects function as tools for understanding the reality and once the reality is understood, there is no further purpose of practical view since all is known in totality unambiguously. In fact it becomes a hindrance since if one remains absorbed in the practical aspects , one’s mind  cannot focus on the real self.

Science denotes the knowledge of all knowables which the soul has the capability to know. Hence once he knows the self, he knows all. However, to know the self he has to distinguish himself from non soul and to contemplate on the self spiritually. Therefore he has to bring his attention onto the self starting from the entire universe knowing and discarding it as not his self . Then only he achieves the goal of Moksha.

  It would be apt to see what Albert Einstein has said upon the subject of science and religion :

“ One can have the clearest and most complete knowledge of what is, and yet not be able to deduct from that what should be the goal of our human aspirations. “

He has clearly stated that science provides the tool while religion provides the goal.

Both are complementary and they together form the complete entity. The science forms the practical side of knowledge while religion imparts the spiritual side , and they together form the totality of knowledge as it exists in the knowledge of the omniscient.