Pudgal Vivechan Vaigyanik Evam Jain Agam Ki Drushti Me - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Pudgal Vivechan Vaigyanik evam Jain Agam ki Drushti me" by Rameshchandra Jain, based on the provided PDF pages:

Pudgal: A Scientific and Jain Doctrinal Perspective

This text, authored by Rameshchandra Jain, explores the concept of pudgal (matter) from both a scientific and Jain scriptural viewpoint. It highlights the alignment between ancient Jain philosophy and modern scientific understanding.

Core Jain Principles and Pudgal:

Six Substances (Dravyas): Jain philosophy posits that the universe is composed of six eternal substances: Jiva (soul/consciousness) and Ajiva (non-soul). Ajiva is further divided into pudgal (matter), dharma (principle of motion), adharma (principle of rest), akasha (space), and kala (time).
Satt (Existence): A substance is considered to have existence if it possesses continuity (dhrvya) and undergoes modifications (utpad) and disappearances (vyaya) at every moment.
Scientific Alignment: The text emphasizes that Jainism's concept of utpad, vyaya, and dhrvya is inherently scientific, mirroring the scientific principle that matter cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed.
Etymology of Pudgal: The term "pudgal" is derived from "pud" (to assemble or join) and "gal" (to dissolve or decay). Thus, pudgal refers to that which constantly combines and separates, referring to its changes in state or form.

Classification of Pudgal According to Acharya Kundakunda:

The text outlines a six-fold classification of pudgal as described by Acharya Kundakunda in the "Niyamsara":

Gross-Gross (Sthool-Sthool): Solid substances like wood, stone, and iron.
Gross (Sthool): Liquid substances like water and oil.
Gross-Subtle (Sthool-Sukshma): Light, shadow, and moonlight.
Subtle-Gross (Sukshma-Sthool): Sound energy and thermal energy, which are not visible to the eye but can be perceived by other senses.
Subtle (Sukshma): This category includes karman vargas (matter streams that form karma). The influence of our thoughts and emotions affects these subtle pudgals, and in turn, they influence the soul (jiva) and other pudgals. These cannot be perceived by the five senses.
Subtle-Subtle (Sukshma-Sukshma): This refers to the positive and negative electrical charges inherent in atoms, and finer aggregates of matter below karman vargas. These are extremely subtle and also beyond the perception of the five senses.

The text highlights the fifth category (subtle pudgal, i.e., karman vargas) as a significant achievement of Jain scripture, noting that modern science has yet to develop instruments capable of detecting the influence of thoughts and emotions on matter, although lie detector machines are a small step in this direction.

Pudgal and Modern Science:

States of Matter: Science categorizes matter into solid, liquid, and gas, with continuous transformation between these states.
Matter-Energy Equivalence: Science has proven that matter can be converted into energy, as exemplified by nuclear power plants. Jainism views solids, liquids, gases, and energy as different manifestations (paryayas) of pudgal. For instance, solar energy nourishing plants is an example of energy transforming into a solid form.

Properties of Pudgal:

Fundamental Qualities: Pudgal inherently possesses four qualities: touch, taste, smell, and form/color.
Color (Varna): Jain philosophy recognizes five main colors (red, yellow, blue, black, and white). The spectrum described in the text (scarlet, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red) seems to refer to visible light wavelengths, with white being a combination and black an absence of color, or perceived as such by the eye. Jainism acknowledges infinite variations of color, which aligns with the scientific understanding of infinite variations in light wavelengths.
Interconnectedness of Qualities: Science has established that if even one of the four fundamental qualities is present in pudgal, the others are implicitly present, even if not detectable by our senses.
Potential and Transformation: Pudgal has immense potential energy, proven by science. It also undergoes contraction and expansion due to its subtle transformational and spatial occupation capacities, allowing atoms and aggregates to exist in subtle forms.

Pudgal and Karma:

Five Types of Bodies: According to Tattvartha Sutra, there are five types of bodies: audarika (gross physical), vaikriyika (transformable), aharka (form-projected), taijasa (luminous/energetic), and karmanna (karmic). The karmanna body is subtle and imperceptible to the senses.
Karman Vargas and the Soul: Karman vargas are crucial matter streams that interact with the soul (jiva). This interaction, where the soul and karmic matter remain distinct yet bound, is a fundamental concept. This connection is continuous for embodied souls and absent for liberated souls.
Emotional Influence: Just as a magnet attracts iron filings, the soul, influenced by emotions like anger, pride, deceit, and greed, becomes "polluted" by karma. The primary cause of bonding between the soul and pudgal is the soul's emotional transformations and the processes of pudgal.
Karma as Material Substance: Jainism views karma not just as impressions but as tangible pudgal substances. Karman vargas associate with the soul's mental, verbal, and physical activities driven by attachment and aversion. These karmic pudgals bind to the soul, influenced by its passions, and later yield pleasant or unpleasant results.
Duration and Intensity of Karma: The duration and intensity of karmic fruit depend on the karman vargas. Pure, virtuous thoughts, love, and empathy generate good karman vargas, leading to happiness. The text provides specific maximum durations for different types of karma, such as knowledge-obscuring, perception-obscuring, deluding, lifespan, name, and conduct karma, and minimum durations.
Liberation from Karma: When the "covering" of karmic pudgals is removed from the soul, the soul is freed from the cycle of birth and death. The speed of karmic shedding (nirjara) determines how quickly the soul can become karma-free.
Analogy of Rice Grain: Similar to how removing the husk from a rice grain allows it to sprout, removing karmic coverings purifies the soul.
Inner Furnace: The text likens the human body to a furnace where, through true faith, knowledge, and conduct, all karman vargas can be burned. This purification leads to the soul manifesting in its purest form, liberated from the cycle of birth, aging, and death, residing in Siddhalaya (the abode of the liberated).

Conclusion:

The author emphasizes that the classification of pudgal into "subtle" categories by Acharya Kundakunda is a significant achievement that science has yet to experimentally prove. However, if science confirms the existence of these subtle forms, Jain philosophy should be credited for its profound insights. The text draws parallels between modern processes like nuclear energy generation and the Jain concept of karmic purification, suggesting that just as nuclear reactions transform radioactive matter and release energy, the soul can achieve its purest form by purifying itself of karmic pudgals through spiritual practice. The ultimate goal is the soul's liberation from all suffering and the cycle of rebirth.