Chanting And Their Scientific Intuition

According to the saying:

mana eva manushya, karanam bandhamokshyoh

The mind is the reason for both Moksha and Bandha.

When the mind recedes from inauspicious activities and engages in auspicious activities such as chanting(Japa) etc. the inflow of inauspicious karma come to stop and there is an accumulation of auspicious karma

Types of Chanting(Japa)

Pratisthapaddhati (kalpa) written by Sri Padaliptasuriji states that there are three kinds of Japa:

1. spoken Japa(Bhashya Japa): Japa muttered with loud pronunciation so that others can hear
2. speechless Japa(Upamsu Jaap): Japa muttered mentally but with lips movement
3. mental Japa(Manasa Japa) : Without moving lips, tongue etc

Upadhyaya Sri Manavijayaji states in the book entitled ‘Dharmasangraha’:

Speechless Japa is better than the spoken one and mental (Manasa) Japa is superior to speechless Japa. All these three varieties of Japa are gradually more praise worthy.

Manasa(mental) Japa is performed for peace of mind. It is therefore the best. However, is most difficult to perform.

Varganas

According to the Jain scriptures, Paramanus are the smallest particles and Varganas is grouping of parmanus.

1. The first Vargana refers to individual particles i.e. paramanus spread all over the universe.
2. The second Vargana refers to groups of units of two paramanus each.
3. The third Vargana refers to units of groups of three paramanus each.
4. The fourth Vargarna refers to units of groups of four paramanus each.

Thus there are infinite ways of grouping of paramanus into a unit. But the following eight types of Varganas are useful to living beings :-

1. Audarika Vargana
2. Vaikriya Vargana
3. Aharaka Vargana
4. Tejas Vargana
5. Bhashya Vargana
6. Svasocchvasa Vargana
7. Mano Vargana
8. Karaman Vargana.

Every constituent unit of all these Vargarnas have infinite particles i.e. paramanus and yet a constituent unit of a Vaikriya Vargana has a larger number of paramanus than the number of paramanus of the unit of Audarika Vargana and a constituent unit of Aharaka Vargana has a still greater number of paramanus than the number of paramanus of the unit of the Vaikriya Vargana. Similarly, a constituent unit of each subsequent Vargana has a gradually increasing number of paramanus. And with increasing number of paramanus in the unit of each Vargana, the size of paramanus becomes gradually smaller and smaller. As a result a constituent unit of Mano Vargana has a greater number of paramanus than a constituent unit of Bhashya Vargana.

Particle-Wave Theory

In the modern physics, the physicist de-Broglie stated in his particle- wave theory of material particle that subtle particles behave like waves and the formula of wave-length of waves pertaining to the particles is

lambda = h / mv.

where lambda is wave-length, h is Planck’s constant, m is mass of the particle and v is velocity of particle. In this formula, if mv = p , then lambda= h/p, where p is momentum.

The formula of energy of particle of matter is E= nhf, where E is energy, h is Planck’s constant, f is frequency and n = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ………….. etc. The energy of particles of a matter which are in the form of wave, depends upon its frequency and the frequency varies inversely with the wave-length. If the wave-length increases, the frequency decreases and the wave-length decreases, the frequency increases. The wave-length inversely varies with the product of the mass of, the material particle and its velocity. If there is an increase either in mass or velocity or in both of a subtle material particle, the wave-length of the material particle decreases proportionately. And, therefore, frequency and consequently energy increases. This rule can be applied to the kinds of Japa shown by our sages.

Japa & Particle-Wave Theory

According to the modern physics, the velocity of sound i.e. constituent units of Bhasha Vargana is only 330 metres per second, but the speed of constituent units of Taijas Vargana i.e. electromagnetic waves, light waves, waves of radio and television is 3 * 10⁸ m/s. That is why the constituent units of Bhasha Vargana have less energy, though they have a far greater number of paramanus than the constituent units of taijas Vargana. The constituent units of Mano Vargana have a very large number of particles that gets transformed as thoughts or mind and they are very subtle, too. As we experience in our daily life, the speed of mind is tremendous. Therefore, their energy is very high.

Of the three kinds of Japa taught by spiritual sages,

• The first — Spoken Japa uses the constituent units of paramai:ius of Bhasha Vargalna. Since their speed is very slow, their frequency is low and as a result their energy is very small. Its intensity is also very low.
• The second kind of Japa namely speechles Japa, uses the constituent units of paramanus of Bhasha Vargana and its speed is 330metres/sec. Still however this kind of Japa produces inaudible sound waves. Generally, we can hear sound waves only of a certain frequency. Sound waves having frequency 20 to 20,000 are audible. Sound waves having more frequency than 20,000, cannot be grasped by the ear. Therefore, ultrasonic waves of a high frequency produced in speechless Japa have a considerable energy. That is why speechless Japa is better than spoken Japa.
• Manasa Japa is the best of all. It has only the constituent units of paramarnus of Mano Vargana. It has the largest number of particles and its velocity is also highest. Since the waves produced by manasa (mental) Japa have the highest frequency, their energy cannot be imagined. Since the waves of Manasa Japa have a far greater velocity and a far larger number of paramanus than the electromagnetic waves of taijas Vargana, they have infinite energy. Really speaking, this Japa does not at all use speech. It is, therefore, also called ajapa-Japa, a Japa without utterance and it is natural and auotmatic. Only the mind is used in this Japa.

In conclusion, I pray, “May all living beings fulfil their desires through manasa Japa, engage in meditation of the Devadhideva i.e. great God and ultimately attain eternal bliss.

Source

This article is extracted from 20th chapter of the book Scientific Secrets of Jainism by Pujya Panyas Shri Nandighosvijayji M.S.