Exact Sciences in the Karma Antiquity (Set of 4 Volumes) An Old and Rare Book

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In this era of science, information technology and global communication, a new worldwide interest in history of science has been generated. That mathematics played and still plays a prominent role in the development of science and technology is well recognized. But certain cultural, religious, and other humanistic aspects of application of mathematical sciences are still not well and widely known.

The culture and civilization of India has a continuous tradition of more than five millennia. The broad-hearted liberalism in India based on the principles of ahirhsa, anekantavada, etc., gave rise to many systems of thought and philosophy. The Jaina School carry the unique distinction of regarding mathematics as part and parcel of their religion and philosophy.

The Theory and practice of Karma ("action") in its various forms have been a significant way of thinking and working in the Indian life-style through the ages. Through karma-yoga one can attain the goal of life. In this regard the Jaina Theory of Karma is a very remarkable, scientific and spiritual system. It gives the quantitative details in terms of the socalled Karma-paramaņus by using symbols and various measures. Naturally, in giving the quantitative details, mathematics played its key role and considerable mathematical thinking is involved in the process. Thus roots of many modern mathematical concepts can be traced to anicent Jaina canonical and other texts devoted to Karaņanuyoga and exposition of the Jaina Karma Theory.

Professor L.C. Jain through his research projects under the auspices of the Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi, carried out detailed study and investigations of many important texts such as Tiloyapaņņatti, Lokavibhaga, Trilokasara, Labdhisara, and Jambūdīva Paņņattı Sarmgaho. It is very gratifying to know that the "Shri Brahmi Sundari Prasthaśrama", Jabalpur, has decided to publish the life-long work of professor L.C. Jain on these texts in a series of several volumes. It is a huge task. The series, when completed, is to make available to scholars and public the original Sanskrit/Prakrit verses, their Hindi/ English translation with detailed notes and exposition. Indeed the set of volumes will be on asset in the field of Jaina Sciences and Indology.

It is hoped that the exposition and mathematical formulation of the Jaina Karmic fruition, creation, and its annihilation, etc., will open a new vista in the history of science in India. I wish that the exposition will be within the reach of scholars. The first volume is related to the contents of Tiloyapanņatti which is a very significant text of the Karaņanuyoga type belonging to the Digambara Jaina School.

"The Exact Sciences in the Karma Antiquity" constituted a series of the Indian National Science Academy Projects (1984-1995), operated at this University by Professor L.C. Jain, with the assistance of Dr. Prabha Jain. The series of publications also included several other research works pursued by the authors for the History of Science in India.

This series of works forms the foundation for research into the mysterious, symbolic and mathematical theory of Karma, in the ancient Prakrit Texts. During the last century, there has been an increasing interest in the ancient Indian scientific awakening and achievements. This publication, I am confident, will be welcomed into the world of historical learning where problems about the scripts, place value notation, comparability of transfinite sets, as well as the biological phenomena still persist.

I appreciate the hard labour of the authors and hope that this would go a long way to serve the cause of the humanity.