गणितीय जिनागम गंगा के भागीरथ : आचार्य शिरोमणि श्री नेमिचन्द्र सिद्धान्तचक्रवर्ती
By प्रोफेसर लक्ष्मीचन्द्र जैन, प्रोफेसर डॉ. पदावतम्मा
Summary
The text discusses the mathematical contributions of Acharya Nemichandra Siddhantachakravarti to Jain philosophy, particularly in systematizing karmic principles through mathematical formulations. It highlights Einstein's view of mathematics as uniquely certain among sciences. The article traces the transmission of Jain mathematical knowledge from Acharya Bhadrabahu and Emperor Chandragupta Maurya in the 4th century BCE, who preserved karmic science in Brahmi and Sundari scripts during a twelve-year retreat in Shravanabelagola. This knowledge passed through a lineage including Kundakundacharya, Samantabhadracharya, and Virasenacharya before reaching Nemichandra. His major works—Gommatasara, Labdhisara, Kshapanasara, and Trilokasara—are presented as complete, systematic, and historically significant texts containing mathematical content. The text then focuses on Trilokasara, explaining its relevance to modern astronomy and cosmology. It compares ancient Jain understanding of the universe with developments in Greek, Chinese, and modern science, noting that while modern science uses instruments like lasers and satellites, Jain sages attained knowledge through spiritual means. The Jain view posits a finite universe (loka) with specific measurements using units like raju and suchyangula. The text describes the universe's shape as resembling a human figure with hands on hips, though Virasenacharya calculated its volume as 343 cubic rajju. It explains time measurements from avalika to palya, and discusses the six substances (jiva, pudgala, dharma, adharma, kala, akasha) with their mathematical relationships. The article emphasizes that Jain karma theory presents a unified principle challenging modern science, particularly in its treatment of causation, motion, and the relationship between matter and consciousness.
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Conclusion
This document establishes that Ācārya Nemicandra Siddhāntacakravartī’s mathematical systematization of Jain karma theory, particularly in works like Gommaṭasāra and Trilokasāra, provides a uniquely rigorous framework for understanding cosmic and atomic structures. The implications are profound: Jain mathematics offers a unified theory of causality that integrates physical and karmic phenomena, challenging modern science’s fragmented approach. By quantifying space, time, and motion through precise units like the sūcyaṅgula and āvalikā, and by employing topological reasoning for comparative magnitudes, these texts present a testable, non-theistic model of reality. The outcome is a sophisticated scientific heritage that anticipates concepts like limited universal velocity and entropy, while also offering a complete, non-violent cosmology. This positions Jain thought as a vital, underexplored resource for contemporary physics and philosophy, urging a re-evaluation of ancient Indian contributions to formal