________________
31
not a-cita. For instance, vidyut or lightning; a form of electricity produced in the sky-is sa-cita and therefore, all forms of electricity are not a-cita.
The science of etectricity is of recent date and the various delevelopements in the form of Telegraphy. Telephone, Electric Trains, Wire-less, Radio etc are the products of the last century.
The Sacred Books of the Jains were composed several centuries before the birth of Christian era and consequently it is but natural that there may not be any mention of any of these discoveries of the present age, in those writings. But it must be said to the credit of the Jaina Sages that numerous centuries before the advent of the present scientific age, they were able to recognize vidyut-lightning as a form of electricity and knowing it to be sa cita by their omniscient knowledge, they thought it fit to be avoided by Jaina Sādhūs, and by persons who were in Sāmāyika Kriyā.
The theory that electric light being made artificially from materials which are not sa-cita, is a-cita, is a wrong hypothesis.
Others argue that electric light is sa-cita because it is hot to touch. They go with the wrong hypothesis that all hot objects are sa-Cita. With heat they combine sa-citată. If their hypothesis
correct, it will be practically impossible for Jaina Sadhus to touch boiled water, hot milk, or heated articles of food material. Also, they cannot be allowed the use of hot-water-bag or heated brick for fomentation. They cannot use these articles if they are sa-cita. The theory that hot articles are sa-cita, does not hold good
Jaina Sages are of opinion. that electric light is sa-cita. The reasons for holding this theory are the following:
1. Just as Prithvi Käyika Jivas are of various types e. g. numerous minerals, varieties of stones and earths, a multitude of salts all of which are of various densities, colours, shapes,
