Man Paryava Gyan Bhi Sambhav Hai - Book Summary

Here is a comprehensive summary in English of the Jain text "Man Paryava Gyan Bhi Sambhav Hai" by Muni Gulabchandra 'Nirbahi':

The book explores the concept of "Manahparyaya Jnana" (mind-reading knowledge) from a Jain perspective, drawing parallels with modern scientific discoveries, particularly in psychology and physics.

Key Points:

Modern Scientific Validation: The author begins by referencing the work of Dr. Maxilion Langsner, a Viennese psychologist, who attempted to read the minds of criminals based on brainwave patterns. Langsner believed that human thoughts function like radio waves, with varying intensity and duration. He posited that humans possess an inherent ability to receive these "thought waves," which is more overtly expressed in higher-order beings but can be reacquired in humans who also possess speech. This ability, according to Langsner, is particularly useful in crime investigation as criminals' thoughts about their misdeeds are perpetually generated in their subconscious and can be detected by psychologists. He also noted that thought waves can persist in the environment for a considerable time.
Kirlian Photography and Aura: The text then introduces the work of Russian scientist Kirlian, who developed high-frequency photography. Kirlian photography captures not just the physical image of a hand, but also the subtle energy or "rays" emanating from it. The author highlights Kirlian's observation that a person filled with negative thoughts exhibits an unhealthy, irregular, and chaotic electrical atomic pattern around their hand, akin to scribbles by a child or a madman. Conversely, a person with pure or auspicious thoughts displays a harmonious, beautiful, and proportionate electrical atomic pattern. Kirlian's theory suggests that it will soon be possible to predict illnesses before they manifest physically, as the electrical aura is affected before the physical body. Similarly, signs of impending death appear as a shrinking aura, and even the intention to commit murder can be detected in the electrical field before the act itself.
The Aura (Abhamandal): The text explains that every human is surrounded by an "aura" or an "electrodynamic field." Russian scientists differentiate between living and non-living entities by the presence of an aura around them. They also state that after death, it takes about three days for the aura to dissipate, and the person remains alive on a subtle level as long as the aura is intact. The author asserts that the creation of an aura around figures like Mahavir or other enlightened beings is not mere imagination but a reality. While previously only individuals with profound and subtle vision could perceive auras, an English scientist in 1930 developed a chemical process that allows anyone to see another person's aura.
Individuality of the Aura: Just as fingerprints are unique, the aura is also personal. The aura reveals information about future events that are being formed in a person's deep subconscious, which the individual themselves may not be aware of.
Jain Concept of Manahparyaya Jnana: The book then connects these scientific observations to the Jain concept of "Manahparyaya Jnana," which is the fourth of the five types of knowledge described in the Agamas. Manahparyaya Jnana is the knowledge of the states of the mind through mental atoms (manovargana). While "Avadhi Jnana" (clairvoyance) can also perceive mental states, Manahparyaya Jnana is specifically specialized in understanding mental modifications. The analogy is drawn between a general physician and a specialist in a particular organ; similarly, Manahparyaya Jnana is a specialist of mental states. Manahparyaya Jnanis cannot directly perceive abstract substances but understand them through the realization of the "mind-stuff" (dravya man). They directly perceive mental forms created by the thoughts of sentient beings.
Nature of Manahparyaya Jnana: Manahparyaya Jnana is described as a division of "avritta chetana" (covered consciousness). Therefore, it cannot directly perceive the abstract mental transformations of the soul but can perceive the concrete mental transformations that occur due to them. Its subject matter is the direct perception of mental forms, and it is independent in this regard, not relying on others.
Science Approaching Jain Knowledge: The text reiterates that the existence of the aura is accepted in the language of science. The aura is a configuration of matter and atoms that co-exists with a person's consciousness, which activates the "Tejas Sharira" (fiery or luminous body), radiating beams that form the circular halo. The aura reflects the individual's emotional state (bhavmandala); a purer bhavmandala leads to a purer aura, and vice versa. An individual can alter their aura according to their stream of thoughts.
Conclusion: The author concludes by emphasizing the strong similarity between how a Manahparyaya Jñani directly perceives mental results from mental atoms and how psychologists identify a person's mental state with the help of the aura. This similarity suggests that modern science is approaching the seemingly lost "Manahparyaya Jnana" that was once considered extinct. Modern science has unveiled many mysterious facts of religion, philosophy, and spirituality, and the endeavor to understand mental states through the aura is a new link in this discovery, holding significant potential for contemplation and development for spiritual seekers.