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.
