Research Foundation With a Mission
To carry out multidisciplinary research in the fields of science and spirituality. It will work towards bringing science and spirituality closer to each other so as to provide new ways to solve the problems of the modern society.
Science and Spirituality
Many renowned scientists have recently realised that every phenomenon in the universe can not be explained only by physical processes involving matter and there is a need to consider existence of some experiential entity like consciousness or spiritual entity like soul. To explore this possibility and bring it within the framework of research,The Science and Spirituality Research Institute was established in 2017 at Ahmedabad. The objective of the Institute is to synthesise science and spirituality and build a bridge between them by carrying out research on frontier areas of science and consciousness.
Several Jain Acharyas specially Acharya Mahaprajnaji, Acharya Vijay Nandi Ghoshji, Muni Mahendra Kumarji, Acharya Nanalalji, Acharya Kanak Nandji, Samani Chaitanya Prajnajiand others have asked us to look for scientific foundation of Jainism and Hinduism in Indian texts like Jain Agamas and Vedas, Vedanta, Upanishadas etc.
So this Institute has been formally established in 2017, however, many of the scholars have been involved in such activities for over a decade. The initial activity was carried out under ‘Science and Jainism forum’ at L.D. Institute of Indology at Ahmedabad, about 12 years ago, under the guidance of Dr. Jitendra B. Shah, a renowned Jain scholar. Later on the emphasis was laid on specific problems like consciousness, creation etc. One of this effort resulted in a monograph on “Scientific Perspectives of Jainism”(29 articles, written by 34 scholars, 750 pages) edited at SSRI.
Dr. Narendra Bhandari Webinars
Jain Philosophy: A Scientific Approach to Reality
An International Conference was organized at IITB, Mumbai during January 2016 under the guidance of MunishriMahendraKumarji. The Proceedings of this conference “Jain philosophy:A scientific Approach to reality” (38 articles, 620 pages) is the second book edited at SSRI and published recently.
One of the outcome of the above two publications is the realization that Jain Texts, documented 1500 years to 2000 years ago, contain several concepts, laws, principles and facts which the scientific studies have rediscovered only in the past 200-400 years. The credit for all these discoveries is given to Western, mainly European scholars, whereas these discoveries rightly belong to ancient Indian thinkers, specifically to Bhagawan Mahavir. Some of these discoveries are documented in the article on ‘Enigma of the Truth’ in the Proceedings. One objective of the current activities is to search for more concepts in Jain Agamas and bring them to light.
A group of professionals have shown interest in such activities.These include Samani Chaitanya Prajna, Ph.D, Padma Shri Dr. Sudhir Shah, M.D., D.M. (Neurology), Prof. Ashok Kumar Singhvi (Physics), Dr. A R Prasanna, Ph. D.(Theoretical Physics), Dr. Kumar Bhatt Ph.D. (Nuclear Physics), Dr. AchintaYagnik, Ph.D. (Psychology), Shri R. M. Pandya, (Physics), Dr. Prabhu Das Thakkar, Ph.D. (Botany), Shri Bheru Lal Hiran, (Educationist and Industralist), Shri Abhay Bhadani (Industrialist), Smt. Anita Singhvi, Shri Kushal Bhanshali (Vice President JITO and Industrialist), Shri Basant Maloo (Indstrialist), Shri Barin Mehta, (Reiki expert), Shri Lakshmi Narayan Patel (CA), Shri R S Gupta (PRL/ISRO), Shri Sagar Soni (Mechanical Engineer), Shri Sunil Mehta, Dr. Surendra Singh Pokharna, Ph.D.(Physics), Dr.Narendra Bhandari, Ph.D. (Physics) and others. Many of them have been associated with premier Institutions of education or research in India and abroad or have been actively pursuing subjects related to spirituality.
Books, Papers and Conferences
Books
Papers Published
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Bhandari Narendra and Pokharna Surendra Singh (2017) Syadavada and Anekantvada in the modern scientific context, In Scientific Perspectives of Jainism, JVBI, Ladnun.
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Bhandari Narendra (2018) Enigma of the Truth In Jain Philosophy: A Scientific Approach to Reality, JVBI, Ladnun.
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Sudhir Shah (2018) The art and science of meditation and Shatvadhan in http://www.sudhirneuro.org/articles.php
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Following Papers are taken from The Elusive Consciousness: Report of the Consciousness study Group, Ahmedabad, in form of Lecture notes on the basis of Lectures delivered at L.D. Institute of Indology, Ahmedabadcompiled by Narendra Bhandari, Surendra Singh Pokharna & Jitendra B. Shah (2015)
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Prof. Ms. Achinta Yajnik Spiritual Theory of Personality: Eastern & Western Perspective.
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Vishva Mohan Thakur, MD Psychiatrist, The agents of consciousness
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C.R. Mukundan, Consciousness: Scientific Understanding from Reality Engagements
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A.R Prasanna, Time and Space: Real and Relative:
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Paras Mul Agrawal, Quantum Mechanics and Human Decision Making
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Nayrayan Lal Kachhara, Soul (jiva) and Consciousness in Jainism :
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Dr. Sudhir V. Shah, Prolonged Fasting: How is it possible-A hypothesis
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Surendra Singh Pokharna (2017) Jain concepts of knowledge in context of General Systems Theory and Physics, in Scientific Perspectives of Jainism, JVBI, Ladnun.
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Surendra Singh Pokharna (2016) Quantum reality and concept of shunya: Need for an integrating approach, Springer Verlag) (In press).
Join Our Community
Get started with Science and Spirituality Research Institute by making your idea a reality, or by helping us with our mission.
Membership of the Institute is open to all qualified and interested persons subject to the approval of the Trustees.
Eligibility
A member has to be preferably a graduate in any discipline.
Life membership or Annual members is open to all persons who have keen interest in studying science and spirituality
Membership Charges
There is a nominal charge of Rs. 11,000/- for life members and Rs. 2000/- per year for Annual members.
Privileges for members:
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The institute houses a library related to science and spirituality.Members can avail library facilities and can issue books as per rules.
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Members can take part in common activities of the institute.
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Members can take up project on behalf of the Institute and can use the Institute’s facilities to execute the project.
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A Member is required to deliver lectures periodically.
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An annual member can associate with a project undertaken by any life member
A member can represent SSRI in any program in India or abroad with prior permission