Jain Darshan Me Parmanu - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Jain Darshan me Parmanu" by Nandighoshvijay, presented in English, based on the provided document:

Jain Darshan me Parmanu (The Atom in Jain Philosophy)

This text, "Jain Darshan me Parmanu" by Nandighoshvijay, explores the Jain philosophical understanding of the atom (Parmanu) and its place within the broader Jain cosmology.

The Six Dravyas and the Nature of the Universe:

The foundational principle of Jainism is the existence of six eternal substances (Dravyas):

Jiva (Soul): The sentient soul, which is inherently pure, formless, and without attributes (amurta). It gains attributes and physicality through its association with Pudgala.
Dharma (Principle of Motion): An abstract substance that facilitates motion.
Adharma (Principle of Rest): An abstract substance that facilitates rest.
Akasha (Space): An abstract substance that provides space for all other substances.
Kala (Time): A substance that governs change and succession, considered a distinct entity in Jainism.
Pudgala (Matter): The material substance, which is the only tangible and perceivable substance in the universe.

Dharma, Adharma, and Akasha are described as completely abstract, lacking color, smell, taste, touch, and form. Jiva, while intrinsically pure and formless, attains physicality through its connection with Pudgala. The entire universe, whether subtle or gross, visible or invisible, perceptible by senses or beyond, is encompassed within either Pudgala or Jiva combined with Pudgala.

The Jain Concept of Parmanu (Atom):

The Parmanu is defined as the smallest, indivisible particle of Pudgala. It is the fundamental unit of matter that has never been, is not, and can never be divided into two parts. Numerous such atoms, when aggregated, form all the objects in the universe.

Key Characteristics of Pudgala and Parmanu:

Infinite Power: Pudgala possesses infinite potential. While the soul (Jiva) also has infinite power, the soul's power is self-controlled, whereas Pudgala's power is externally controlled.
Attributes: Every individual Parmanu of Pudgala possesses color, smell, taste, and touch. The presence of these attributes signifies the presence of atoms.
Perceptibility: While some atoms or their combinations may be too subtle for sensory perception (e.g., ultraviolet and infrared rays), their existence is not negated if their effects can be observed (e.g., on a photographic plate).
Manifestations of Pudgala: Jain texts identify various phenomena as modifications (vikara) of Pudgala, including sound (shabda), darkness, light (udyota), heat (atap), and diffused light or reflection (prabha).

The Principle of "One and All":

A significant teaching from the Achārānga Sūtra states: "He who knows one knows all; he who knows all knows one." (जे एगं जाणइ से सव्वं जाणइ, जे सव्वं जाणइ से एगं जाणइ). The commentator, Maharsi Shri Shilankacharya, clarifies that "one" refers to the fundamental, indivisible atom of every substance in the universe. Knowing this atom means understanding the entire universe because this single atom was a part of every object in the past and will be the fundamental unit of every object in the future. Therefore, complete knowledge of the universe is achieved by fully understanding this fundamental atom, and vice versa.

Critique of Modern Science's Atom:

The text argues that the atom as understood by modern science is not truly fundamental because it is divisible into subatomic particles like electrons, protons, neutrons, and quarks. While protons were once considered indivisible, current research points to quarks as their fundamental constituents, with three quarks forming a proton. This stands in contrast to the Jain concept of an eternally indivisible Parmanu.

Pudgala's Dynamic Nature (Purana and Galana):

According to the Tattvartha Sutra, Pudgala is characterized by "Purayanti Galayanti" – the process of accumulation (filling) and dissolution (melting). All material substances undergo continuous creation (addition of new atoms) and dissolution (separation of some atoms from existing clusters). No substance remains static; for instance, the billions of cells in our body are constantly being replaced. The processes of fusion and fission in nuclear physics are presented as examples of Purana and Galana.

Varganā (Aggregates of Atoms):

The Jain philosophy categorizes aggregates of atoms into Varganās. While there are innumerable types of Varganās in the universe, eight are particularly significant for living beings:

Audārika Varganā: Composed of various types of atoms that exist independently. This Vargana forms most of the visible matter in the universe. Its constituent atoms are relatively gross.
Vaikriya Varganā: Has a larger number of atoms than Audārika Varganā, making its resultant form more subtle.
Āhārak Varganā: Contains more atoms than Vaikriya Varganā, resulting in denser and subtler formations. This Varganā is used by highly knowledgeable ascetics and is currently not accessible on Earth.
Taijas Varganā: Composed of even subtler atoms. It forms the subtle body of all living beings and is responsible for digestion and hunger.
Bhāṣā Varganā: Consists of atoms subtler than Taijas Varganā. It is used by living beings for speech. Even sound (voice) is considered Pudgala.
Śvāsochchvāsa Varganā: Composed of atoms subtler than Bhāṣā Varganā. All living beings, including plants and inanimate objects like earth, water, fire, and air (which Jainism considers to have life), utilize this Varganā for respiration.
Manō Varganā: Contains more atoms than Śvāsochchvāsa Varganā. This Varganā is used by beings with minds (humans and animals) for thought processes. The rapid nature of thought is attributed to the subtle atomic structure of Manō Varganā.
Kārman Varganā: Composed of the subtlest atoms, with the largest number of atoms. This Varganā is directly associated with the karma of all living beings. Understanding these atoms is key to comprehending past, present, and future, but they are beyond the reach of current scientific instruments, requiring spiritual power and extrasensory knowledge.

The text suggests that modern scientific discoveries like molecules, atoms, electrons, protons, neutrons, positrons, and quarks can be encompassed within the Audārika Varganā.

Sensory Qualities of Pudgala:

Color: Five primary colors are mentioned: white, red, yellow, blue (brown), and black. For painting, white and black are excluded, focusing on three main colors, with others being combinations.
Smell: Two types: fragrant and foul.
Taste: Five types: bitter, pungent, astringent, sour, and sweet. Salty is sometimes considered a sixth taste.
Touch: Eight types: heavy, light, soft, hard, cold, hot, smooth, and rough. A single atom has only two touch qualities (e.g., cold or hot, smooth or rough). Aggregates of atoms can possess up to eight touch qualities. The first four Varganās exhibit all eight, while the remaining four exhibit four touch qualities.

Support from Modern Science:

The text draws parallels between Jain atomic concepts and certain scientific theories:

Bose-Einstein Statistics: Proposed by Bengali scientist Satyendra Nath Bose, this theory can help understand the coexistence of multiple entities in the same space. Jain philosophy posits a limited number of space-points (Akasha Pradesh) but infinite atoms. The ability for infinite atoms to occupy limited space is analogous to how multiple entities can exist in the same space. This principle is also applied to liberated souls in Moksha.
Dr. P. C. Vaidya's Research on Radioactive Stars: Research on the gravitational fields of radioactive stars by Dr. P. C. Vaidya supports Jain concepts. His findings suggest that radioactive stars have weaker gravitational fields than non-radioactive stars of similar mass and size.

The Nature of Light and Gravity:

Light as Matter: Jain philosophy considers light to be a substance (Dravya) and not just a quality. The emission of light (photons) from stars or the sun involves the emission of subtle particles with mass. This emission reduces the star's mass and consequently its gravitational pull. The text posits that this reduced mass is evidence that photons themselves possess mass.
Gravity's Influence: While modern physics suggests that gravity causes space to contract and bend the path of light, Jain philosophy views Akasha as an indivisible, non-material, inactive, and attribute-less substance, unaffected by gravity. Gravity only affects Pudgala (material substances) within its field. The deflection of starlight by the Sun's gravity, as observed during solar eclipses, supports the Jain view that gravity affects matter (photons), thus indicating that photons have mass.

The Mystical Connection:

The text concludes by referencing Fritjof Capra, who suggests that modern physics, by leading to a mystical worldview, is returning to the ancient intuitions of Greek and Eastern philosophies, but now grounded in precise experiments and mathematical rigor. This highlights the profound and prescient nature of Jain atomic science.

In essence, "Jain Darshan me Parmanu" presents a detailed exposition of the Jain understanding of the atom, emphasizing its fundamental indivisibility, its role as the building block of the universe, and its inherent sensory qualities, while also drawing connections and highlighting contrasts with modern scientific understanding.