Universe - The Mega Reaction

By Dr. Sunil J. Vora, Tele : +91-22-28161999

We all are fortunate that we have an ample quantum of cultural heritage of Jain principles. Jain principles are honored all over the world with exquisite merit. Jain philosophy believes in right of existence and survival of every living at ma. (from ekendriya to panchendriya). Origin of the universe - Big Bang theory, Steady state theory and many other theories have been postulated by Science. Various philosophies have also put forward different theories about the origin and the evolution of the cosmos. A standard law “Kaarya - Kaaran - Bhava” has been accepted by majority of the religions. It states that without reason (kaaran) no event or activity ( kaarya) can take place.

Let me illustrate :- Someone abuses me .They say, it is because I may have abused him previously. When? May be few hours , days , years or few births back. Now the question is , who regulates all these activities ? Is there some supreme power above, that governs all the activities of the world. Is it that he makes the judgments and gives the punishments? Yes, majority of the philosophies would answer . He is the almighty God.

He creates , organizes and even destroys it, when needed. Which implies that the cosmos has a start i.e Sa - Aadi and an end i.e Sa - Anth . Then a new beginning and a new end and the cycle goes on. But neither science nor Jainism accepts any such governing by a supreme power. Jainism overrules the interference of the God in the activities of the universe. But remember friends , it does not rule out the existance of God. Any soul reaching moksha viz; Arihantas and Siddhas are accepted as God. Thus ‘Avatarvaad - the reincarnation of god for regulation of the cosmo’ is denied.

Jainism says, the universe has no start and no end. it is An - Aadi and An - Anth. It is neither created nor destroyed by anyone .It goes on changing repeatedly but there is no full stop to it .

Then how is the universe regulated?  With the scientific and unique theory of nav tattvas, jainism explains this ‘Mega-Reaction’.

Nav - Tattvas
1)Jiva - Living organisms or soul or spirit having Chetna or Chitt. They are asankhya (innumerable) and sukshma (minute).

2)Ajiva - Non living things, without soul having no chetna i.e Achetan or Achitt. They are very Sukshma and Asankhya - asankhya. Very beautiful is the word used for it in Jainism, it is called “ Pud - Gal”.

Pud - means Puran or to add or to join
Gal - means to fall down or detach
They constantly join each other to form Skandh from a single Annu.
They also get attached to the Jivas, thus causing it’s bondage that drag the Jivas through infinite births or Gatis.

3) Aashrava - the influx. the channels or the tunnels through which the Pudgals reach the Aatma.

4) Samvara - to stop. The obstacles that stop the Pudgals from reaching the Aatma.

5)Bandha - the bondage. The gum , the adhesive that binds the Aatma and the Pudgals.

6) Nirjhara - the detachment of the Pudgals fron the Aatma without exhibiting their effect.

7) Moksha - the ultimate goal of the soul. The detachment of all the Pudgals from the soul leads to it’s automatic rising (Urdhwa gati) to the moksha, from where descending down (Ksharan) is not possible. Here, there is permanent bliss and peace.

8)Punya - the good deeds that attract the benefic Pudgals to the soul and give happiness in return.

9)Paap - the ill deeds that attract the malefic Pudgals to the soul and give sorrow in return.

It is clear that the first two tattvas deal with the nature and the enumeration of the eternal substances of nature. The remaining 5 tattvas are concerned with the interaction between and separation of these two eternal substances , viz; Jiva and Ajiva ,i.e spirit and matter.

Dharmastikaya and Adharmastikaya - the media for motion and rest respectively, Akaash - the space, Kaal - the time are the Dravyas that involve in the reaction between the Jiva and the Ajiva.

In fact this physiochemical reaction between the Jiva and the Ajiva, assissted by the rest of the Tattvas and the Dravyas is responsible for the constant changes in the cosmos , may it be the 6 Aaraas or the 4 Yugas. Thus requiring no interference of God anywhere.

Jainism , also provides detailed explanations about the 4 Ghaati and the 4 Aghaati Karmas, the Udaykaal of the Pudgals etc.

Jivas constantly attract the pudgals towards them, just as magnets (atma’s)

Pull the iron filings (pudgals) towards them, which are spread throughout the universe.They come to the atma through the channels of ashrav overcoming the barriers of samvar and with the help of the adhesive called the bandh, get attached to the atma’s. Due to this bondage the individual jiva’s have to under go many changes in the form of various gatti’s. the collective effect of this reaction of the individual atma’s brings about the collective change (saamuhik parinam) in the universe. Alert atma’s shed of the covering pudgals by Nirjara and reach the ultimate goal called Moksha.

Such is the ‘Mega Reaction “ taking place in the universe.

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Article Courtesy : Ms. Raksha Shah, E-Mail : shahraksha99@yahoo.com
 

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