Living Systems in Jainism: a Scientific Study
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Living Systems in Jainism: A Scientific Study Narayan Lal Kachhara Kundakunda Jñānapīṭha, Indore i Living Systems in Jainism: A Scientific Study Author : Narayan Lal Kachhara, 55, Ravindra Nagar, Udaipur - 313003 [email protected] © Author ISBN: : 81-86933–62-X First Edition : 2018 Price : Rs. 350/- $ 10.00/- Publisher : Kundakunda Jñānapīṭha 584, M.G. Road, Tukoganj Indore – 452 001, India 0731 – 2545421, 2545744 [email protected] Financial support : Manohardevi Punamchand Kachhara Charitable Trust, Udaipur Printed at : Payorite Print Media Pvt. Ltd. Udaipur ii Dedicated to My son Raju Whose departure proved a turning point in my life That changed the course from Professionalism to spiritualism iii Publisher’s Note Sacred books written or compiled by Jain Acharyas are the rich source of knowledge. These texts and the commentaries written by later Acharyas are now being studied by monks and scholars in various contexts. These sources provide us guidelines and directions for meaningful living, searching the purpose of life and knowing the nature and its interactions with the living beings. The religious texts are studied from the following points of views: 1. Spiritual. The texts were primarily composed for giving the human beings the knowledge for making spiritual progress ultimately leading to the state of permanent bliss. 2. History. The texts provide historical information about the ancient period. 3. Culture and art. The texts contain information on culture and art of those times. 4. Science. The texts contain a treasure of knowledge about the realities of nature and its interaction with the life of living beings. This branch of knowledge earlier studied as philosophy is now known as science. Traditionally the scholars have been concentrating on the first three aspects of studies and not paying much attention to the fourth aspect. With the advent of modern science this part has gained importance and there is need to study the Aagams and other texts to explore the scientific contents and compare this knowledge with the findings of the modern science. Study of this kind cannot be made in isolation, knowledge of spiritual aspects of religious texts as well as the knowledge of modern science is necessary to properly interpret and understand the writings and putting the ancient ideas in proper perspective with respect to modern science. Some efforts have been made by recent Acharyas and scholars for scientific study of Jain literature. Acharya Mahaprajna, Acharya Kanaknandhi, Acharya Vijay Nandighoshsuri and Muni Mahendra Kumar II have highlighted the importance of scientific study and have written valuable books on this subject. Scholars like G.R. Jain, N.L. Jain, K.V. Mardia, etc. have also written books on different aspects of scientific knowledge contained in these texts. Mathematics in some form has traditionally been used by Tirthankara in their teachings. Mathematics was further developed by many Acharyas to support and explain the concepts and doctrines propounded in Aagams. Jain Acharyas occupy a respectable position in iv the field of development of mathematics in India. This mathematics has been studied in modern context by recent scholars like B. B. Datta, H. R. Kapadia, A.N. Singh, L.C. Jain, Anupam Jain, R.S. Shah, Dipak Jadhav etc. It has been shown that many of the mathematical ideas credited to modern (Western) mathematicians were known to ancient Acharyas many centuries ago. Modern science is challenging the religious philosophies and has captivated the minds of new generation. In such a scenario the religion that can stand the challenge of modern science is more likely to find acceptance and respect from the people. In this respect Jain philosophy has a unique position among all philosophies as it is based on laws for both the living and the non-living constituents of nature and rejects the idea of any super power like God, the Creator and Controller of the phenomena of universe. Professor Narayan Lal Kachhara, engineer by background, has been studying Jain philosophy in scientific context and writing articles and books to present the scientific content of Jain philosophy and making their comparison with modern scientific developments. His books like Jain Metaphysics and Science: A comparison and Scientific Explorations of Jain Doctrines are notable contributions in this direction. The present book of Prof. Kachhara is the pinnacle of his efforts to explore the scientific nature of Jain philosophy and extension of its application to the modern branches knowledge like consciousness studies, psychology, evolutionary biology, epistemological studies, cosmology and human behavior. The author has lucidly presented the Jain ideas in modern style and has examined the possibility of extension of Jain ideas to understand the advancements of modern science in the field of human intelligence, mental faculties, extra terrestrial life, the fate of the universe, etc. Kundakunda Jñānapīṭha is happy to publish this work of Prof. Kachhara which makes a very interesting reading both to scholars of Jainism as well as of science. It is hoped that the book shall inspire readers and scholars to further explore the scientific contents of Jain philosophy, expand the horizons of our knowledge and establish Jain philosophy as the true source of knowledge, even for modern science to learn from it, and apply this knowledge to the welfare of the entire living class. The book is expected to be a milestone in our understanding of life processes and the universe. v Dr. Anupam Jain Professor of Mathematics & Executive Director, Kundakunda Jñānapīṭha, [email protected] vi CONTENTS Publisher’s Note iv Contents vi Opinions of Scholars xii Foreword xv Preface xxviii 1 Soul and Consciousness in Jainism and Other Philosophical Systems 1 1.1 Soul (Jiva) in Jainism 1 1.2 Soul: The Subject and the Object 5 1.3 Relations between Soul and Body 6 1.4 The Worldly Soul 9 1.5 Souls in Other Systems of Indian Philosophy 13 1.6 Soul in Western Thought 15 1.7 Powers of Soul 17 1.8 Consciousness 27 1.9 Bibliography 27 2 The Eleven Doubts 29 2.1 Introduction 29 2.2 The First Doubt – The Existence of the Soul 30 2.3 The Second Doubt – Existence of Karma 32 2.4 The Third Doubt – Distinction between Soul and Body 34 2.5 The Fourth Doubt –Existence of Punya (Merit) and Papa (Demerit) 37 2.6 The Fifth Doubt – Difference between Past and Present lives 40 2.7 The Sixth Doubt –Bondage and Moksa 41 2.8 The Seventh Doubt – Existence of Gods (Deva) 42 2.9 The Eighth Doubt – Existence of the Infernal 44 2.10 The Ninth Doubt –Role of Merit and Demerit in Life 44 2.11 The Tenth Doubt – Rebirth 45 2.12 The Eleventh Doubt – Salvation 46 2.13 Bibliography 47 vii 3. Doctrine of Karma 48 3.1 Introduction 48 3.2 Bhava Karma and Dravya Karma 49 3.3 Bonding of Karma 50 3.4 Karma Bonds 51 3.5 Types of Karma 54 3.6 Karma Sub-Types 57 3.7 Karma Proportions 68 3.8 States of Karma 68 3.9 Influx and Bonding of Karma 72 3.10 Rise of Karma 74 3.11 Working of Karma 81 3.12 The Body System 83 3.13 Relationship between Karma (in fruition) and Body 88 3.14 The Powers of the Tejas Body 91 3.15 Connections between the Bodies 94 3.16 Karma, Free Will and Destiny 98 3.17 Bibliography 100 4. Some Concepts of the Psychical Structure of Soul 102 4.1 Introduction 102 4.2 Jnana 102 4.3 Darshana 104 4.4 Intelligence and Knowledge 104 4.5 Ajnana (Ignorance) 106 4.6 The cognition process 106 4.7 Delayed Cognition: Intuition 116 4.8 Science and Philosophy 117 4.9 Conclusions 118 4.10 Bibliography 118 5. Biological Intelligence and the Human Faculties 119 5.1 Introduction 119 5.2 Empirical Soul in Jainism 120 viii 5.3 Intelligent Processes 122 5.4 Faculties of the Soul 124 5.5 Some Intelligent Biological Processes 131 5.6 Biological Structures 137 5.7 Conclusions 139 5.8 Bibliography 140 6. Intelligent Design and the Evolution of Life 142 6.1 Creationism and Intelligent Design 142 6.2 Jainism’s view of Life 143 6.3 Beginning of life 144 6.4 Development of the Soul and Biological Evolution 145 6.5 Evolution in the Cosmos 150 6.6 Higher Evolution 151 6.7 Bibliography 153 7. Emotions and Bhava in Jainism and Western Thought 154 7.1 Introduction 154 7.2 Emotions in Western Thought 154 7.2.1 Theories of Emotions 156 7.2.2 The Ontology of Emotions 157 7.3 Bhava, Emotions and Passions in Jainism 158 7.4 Bhavana 167 7.5 Bibliography 169 8. Philosophy of Mind 170 8.1 Conscious Mental States in Western Thought 170 8.2 Western Philosophies of Mind 171 8.3 Minds in Jain Philosophy 174 8.4 Interactions between the Soul, Mind and Body 177 8.5 Objections to Dualism Revisited 183 8.6 Bibliography 184 9. The Epistemological Performance of Living Systems 185 ix 9.1 Introduction 185 9.2 Relation between Subject and Object 186 9.2.1 Cognition: True or False 187 9.3 Upayoga (Manifestation of Consciousness) 188 9.4 Darshana 189 9.5 Indirect Cognitions 191 9.5.1 Perceptual Cognition (or Empirical Knowledge) (Matijnana) 191 9.5.2 Articulate Knowledge (Srutijnana) 194 9.6 Direct Cognitions 197 9.6.1 Clairvoyance (Avadhijnana) 198 9.6.2 Mind-reading (Manahparyayajnana) 199 9.6.3 Omniscience (Kevalajnana) 200 9.7 Instincts 201 9.8 Knowledge and Perception in Western Philosophy 203 9.9 Embodied Cognition 210 9.10 Omniscience & Divine Knowledge 213 9.11 Bibliography 216 10.