Principles of Jain philosophy and Science

[jinesh]

1. On Verbal Testimony (शब्द प्रमाण)

@jinesh

what’s the harm in relying upon the testimony of the scriptures / Tīrthaṅkaras?

@Abhay

Every religion propagates this

The statement needs to be understood in the context in which it was said. The context was -

@jinesh

When scientists disagree among themselves more than they agree, and all we do is rely upon their testimony (for we hardly carry out any single experiment in our life)

So those who believe in the verbal testimony (शब्द प्रमाण) of a scientist and not of a Tīrthaṅkara are not consistent in their position. Because just as they do not have any direct access to what was said by an omniscient (unless they become one), similarly, they would never carry out any experiment to test the claim of a scientist. And I am sure none of us had ever taken the pains to observe the current solar system via telescope.

So arbitrarily choosing one (the words of a scientist), and denying another (the words of the scriptures / omniscient being) is nothing but hypocrisy, or in a sophisticated tone - inconsistency.

So my purpose was not to appeal for faith in Tirthankaras. It was rather to point out the inconsistency among those who seek for a scientific validation for anything and everything and unless they find one, they would keep treating it as a dogma.