Water in Jaina Philosophy and Modern Science
By Jeoraj Jain
Summary
Jain philosophy treats water as a living entity (apkāyika jīva). Dr. Jeoraj Jain’s article explains that water is not just a substance but a living being endowed with life and consciousness. Gommatasara distinguishes four senses of the word 'water': (1) water itself as a mixture of living and non‑living water; (2) water‑beings (souls in transit that will become or have exited water‑bodied living beings); (3) water‑body (the dead body of water); and (4) water‑bodied life. The article explains that each drop of water contains numerous living beings, each occupying a tubular yoni, and that these beings have only one sense (touch). The general properties of water include yoni (birth places where souls enter physical bodies), kula‑kodi (families or castes based on shape and taste), life‑span, single occupancy of bodies, body size, compactness, nature of body and population. There are seven lakh types of birth places or yonis for water‑bodied beings, including rainwater, dew, pot water, oceans and wells; these yonis may be living, non‑living or mixed. Different kulas give rise to different qualities in water, such as taste, temperature, color and medicinal properties. The article describes the life span of water‑bodied beings (ranging from one antarā-muhūrta, less than 48 minutes, to 7,000 years) and their population (innumerable beings in a drop of water). Jain texts note that water‑bodied beings possess three kinds of bodies (audārika, vaikriyika and āhāraka) and only one sense (touch), and that their bodies resemble bubbles or bee‑hive structures. The author compares Jain ideas with modern science, noting that water molecules form droplets with specific shapes and tastes, that atomic vibrations and electric charge influence properties like temperature, color, taste and smell, and that millions of molecules form a single drop. He discusses eight types of touch senses and analogies with scientific concepts such as pressure, cohesion, erosion and friction. The article lists methods prescribed by Jain scriptures to purify water without harming water‑bodied beings—boiling, decantation and filtration—and compares them with modern water treatment methods. Finally, the author argues that the Jain conception of water as living beings encourages ecological sensitivity, non‑violence and scientific curiosity. He suggests that modern scientists should study water at subtle levels to validate the Jain idea that water has life and unique attributes.
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Conclusion
The article concludes that water, according to Jain scriptures, is a living substance composed of innumerable single‑sense beings with their own birth places, families and life cycles. Recognizing water’s sentient nature promotes reverence for all forms of life and informs ethical practices like filtering and boiling water to avoid violence. The author highlights parallels with modern science—water’s molecular structure, properties and purification—and encourages scientists to explore subtle properties of water. Ultimately, the Jain view of water fosters environmental responsibility and non‑violence while inviting dialogue between religion and science.