Issue of Eternality - Where does Atom stand
Krishnan Iyer
We were discussing the comparative eternality of the atom in the context of atoms being
‘ Real’ in the true vedantic sense.
For Nyaya Vaiseshikas atoms were eternal . However , much before the Acharya came on the scene itself , the Nyaya concept of atoms being the core of all things was defeated.
We shall look at somes Lakshana of Brahman , a few scriptural statements and the
Brahmasutra’s counter of the Nyaya stand to arrive at our answers.
Recalling the ‘description’ of Brahman , The Reality is Nirveshana ( devoid of attributes ) and Nishkriya ( devoid of activity), Avibhaktha ( indivisible) And Nirvikara ( unchanging) as also
‘Ekam Eva Advithiyam’
The detailed discussion on the Sruti Phrase ‘Ekam Eva Advithiyam’ itself should have clarified all doubts. However , we shall dwell on the present context.Please recall that in the Vedic context Two words are used – Anu and Paramanu.
- The atom are neither Nirveshana , Nishkriya, Avibhaktha And Nirvikara ie. they have attributes and activity , have sub atomic particles and have continuous change in them.
Kathopanishad says – describing Brahman – “ Anoraniyam mahato mahatah”
ie. smaller than atom , more profound than atom.
In science we know that atoms come together and become compounds. Hence there is vikara. Hence the requirement of ‘Real’ that is ‘trikale api thishtahee’ is defeated.
Conclusion : Atoms , thus are not ‘ real ’ as defined by the Sruti
Appended is a write-up by a scholar Ramakrishna , which includes excerpts from Ken Wilber’s work ( I do not recall the exact source and am hence unable give complete credit ):
The contemporary scientific view, like the Sankhya view, believes that the cause of this Jagat is Jada (or atom , which is also a Jada) . They cite the example that the atoms in a gas are continually in a state of motion and are responsible for the enjoyment of Purusha! Or the atoms explode by themselves. If this were true, then the atoms must always be moving in a uniform path or speed. However, it has been a scientific observation that the temperature changes cause the atoms to move faster or slower. In fact it is thus controlling the movement of the atoms that the PuruSha uses it for his enjoyment. So the movement is controlled by heat and heat is controlled by an external agency or Chetana; so Chetana should be the cause of the movement of atoms.
Again, the movement of the atoms cannot be stopped at all, even by controlling temperature, for at some low temperature, the movement of atoms attains a certain state, beyond which any further decrease of temperature does not change the movement of atoms. The scientist counters then, that this is its natural behavior (Jada undergoing no change even with application of heat - external force or Chetana). The Vedantin argues that the Chetana of the scientist is overpowered by a higher Chetana in subduing further change in movement. Similar logic applies to the explosion of atoms also.
The scientist is contradicting himself when he says that an inert body needs an external force to change its state of rest or of uniform motion and at the same time saying that the inert atoms move by its own.
In summarizing these views, the following observations can be made. As much as the Jagat is visible, the cause of the Jagat is invisible. Therefore none of the visible Pramanas can be applied to determine the cause of the Jagat. Inference and Arthapatti (Inference by removing inconsistency) are also helpless, since there are no telltale signs for the Jagat; since Jagat being unique, even a simile fails to describe Jagat.
It is to be remembered that any object that needs the the support of an external source of light (consciousness) to be cognized (like light coming from a window to cognize an object) is inert; all inert objects are impermanent and unreal.
Vaisheshika view detailed :
During the time of dissolution, they divide and disintegrate continuously until they are like atoms, beyond which no further division is possible. At the time of the next creation, these atoms integrate to become the four elements described above. So the vaishEShikas say that these atoms are the kAraNa for the jagat; by which they also mean that the atoms are the svarUpa of the jagat. vEdAnta addresses these statements as follows;
(i) The atoms being inert, cannot integrate without the support of intelligence during the time of creation. The vaishEShika believes in an Atma who is the doer and enjoyer and is the nimitta kAraNa for the integration of the atoms. However, the advaitin claims that this Atma needs tools and medium of a body to do so. However, this body has to come out of the integration of the atoms. So there cannot be a medium of a body before creation. Therefore the effort required for the integration cannot be provided by this Atma.
(ii) If one concedes that somehow the Atma has obtained a body, the dissolution has to be initiated by this Atma, who is also the enjoyer according to the vaishEShikas. The jagat is created for his enjoyment only. Then why would he dissolve this universe, forsaking the enjoyment?
(iii) The union of atoms - Two kinds of union is possible (a) Complete integration and (b) partial / localized union - Complete union of two atoms results in the fusion of two atoms and remain the size of an atom. So how can they come together and keep increasing the size to become the gross jagat? partial/ localized union posits that the atoms have parts, which is contrary to the vaishEShika theory.
(iv) The characteristics of the atoms - Touch etc. and the Reality (Nitya) of them contradict each other. Our experience suggests that all objects exhibiting touch etc. are effect (Karya) and not cause (Karana). For example, the cloth is the kArya of fiber; the fiber is the kArya of cotton etc. The fiber is more real than the cloth (if the cloth is destroyed, fiber still remains); cotton is more real than the fiber (if fiber is destroyed, cotton still remains). Likewise the atoms exhibiting the characteristic of touch can only be a Karya and cannot be a Karana. Being a Karya, they cannot be real.
Shankaracharya has not rejected atoms but has discarded is the theory that the atoms are the kAraNa of the jagat and the characteristics of atoms as described by vaishEShikas.
In fact sage vyasa’s counter argument was on the lines of the fact that atoms have movement and his counter question was - what makes the atoms move and come together ?
- Particle Physics has to go beyond Higgs Boson to arrive at that .
Hari Om
P.G.KRISHNAN