Kanada
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It has been claimed that Kanada (Sanskrit: कणाद; also transliterated as Canada as well as other forms) was a Hindu sage who founded the philosophical school of Vaisheshika. [1]. He talked of Dvyanuka (biatomic molecule) and tryanuka (triatomic molecule) He probably lived around the 2nd century BCE.[2] It is believed that he was born in Prabhas Kshetra (near Dwaraka) in Gujarat, India. His area of study was Rasavādam, considered to be a type of alchemy. He is said to have believed that all living beings are composed of five elements: water, fire, earth, air, ether. Vegetables have only water, insects have water and fire, birds have water, fire, earth and air, and Humans, the top of the creation, have ether - the sense of discrimination (time, space, mind) are one. He theorised that Gurutva was responsible for the falling of objects on the Earth. Some have claimed that Kanada also originated the concept of atom. An interesting story states that he was walking his way with food in his hand. He was nibbling at the food in his hand and throwing away the small particles. At one point it occurred to him that he cannot divide the food into further parts and thus the idea of a matter which cannot be divided further came into existence. He called that indivisible matter as ' Anu ' .i.e. atom. The actual historical existence of "Kanada" as an individual is uncertain.
[edit] References
- ^ The Brahma Sutras - Chapter 2
- ^ Oliver Leaman, Key Concepts in Eastern Philosophy. Routledge, 1999, page 269.
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