Dr. N.L. Kachhara
The universe we live in has always been an object of inquiry. All ancient civilizations have pondered this matter and developed different philosophical understandings. The omniscient Tirthankaras experienced reality in its absolute form and therefore knew the whole loka. Mahavira replied to all questions about the loka. These descriptions given in the Agamas are based on direct experience.
Modern science has explored the universe through both theoretical analysis and experimental observations. Correlations have been established between the predictions of theory and the experimentally obtained data to arrive at the most likely explanation. In this endeavor, the Big Bang Theory is the most accepted version today. However, there are still many unanswered questions and efforts are underway within scientific circles to improve our understanding of nature and present a realistic theory of the universe.
Jainism has an eternal, finite universe, the loka, with a well-defined shape and detailed descriptions of its various parts. Jain ideas are at variance with modern theories. This, therefore, calls for a comparative study in order to solve the enigma of the universe. In this chapter I briefly review modern scientific theories including the Big Bang Theory, inflation theory, chaotic inflation theory, etc., and examine them from a Jain perspective. I also try to understand the Jain loka from a modern perspective. It is hoped that this kind of comparative study will improve our understanding of the reality of the universe and loka.
