When we think about the theory of evolution, one thought creeps into every thoughtful mind that if we have evolved through apes (like beings), this evolution will not stop here. Homo sapiens is the most modern, most developed, strongest, wisest version. Evolution is a continuous process, and, in the future, as per the survival of the fittest and, ironically, even the most powerful, we will evolve into some other, even better species! Well, without a doubt, it sounds immensely positive and hopeful. Till now, we look at the sequence of evolution as (beings similar to) apes which have evolved into Homo Sapiens and will continue to do so until perfection. Hypothetically we can look at this sequence through exactly the opposite perspective, which leads us from being the most developed Humans to present-day Homo Sapiens through devolution. If this devolution continues, Homo-Sapiens will devolve into (beings similar to) apes. In either case, evolution and devolution are not stagnant or permanent processes. Even if either pinnacle is achieved, it won’t stop, for change is constant in the universe. This thought/idea leads to a cyclic pattern of occurrences, which provides a base for further research. Modern science has only analysed the previous scenario, whereas it should have been looked at both ways; for the present-day scenario of exploitation of domesticated animals, unethical use of armaments and finances, man’s hunger to attain power and quest to intrude into the workings of nature through experimentations of Artificial Intelligence etc. portray a different, fearful scene in front of our eyes. Also, suppose survival of the fittest is valid due to the increasing human race population and enhanced disparity. In that case, that day does not seem far when the more powerful humans start to massacre the less powerful ones to maintain their beloved planet's population. In this paper, an attempt has been made to reflect this theory by adding consciousness and then by analysing the same through the glass of time cycle in Jain philosophy. This indicates that what we understand as evolution is actually devolution. Peace and good vibes Medhavi

1. Analysing Theory of Evolution
Through The Lens of
Time Cycle In Jainism
Presented at the International Conference:
'Jainism: Scientific Foundations' held at Tijara, Rajasthan, on 3rd & 4th November 2019
By Medhavi Jain
Author, Researcher, You-tuber, Podcaster

2. One query that arises in a thoughtful mind
about the theory of evolution is that if we
have evolved from beings similar to apes, will
this evolution continue, and will Homo
sapiens become a better, stronger, wiser,
more powerful version of themselves in the
future?

3. For evolution seems to be a
continuous process, and as per
the survival of the fittest, one
day, we will reach the pinnacle of
being human.

4. Hypothetically, we can look at the theory of
evolution through exactly the opposite
perspective, which leads us from being the
most developed Humans to present-day Homo-
Sapiens through devolution. If this devolution
keeps occurring with the passage of time,
Homo-Sapiens will devolve into (beings similar
to) apes.

5. In either case, evolution and devolution are not
stagnant. Even if the pinnacle of either is
achieved, it won’t stop even then, for change is
a constant phenomenon in the universe. This
thought/idea leads to a cyclic pattern of
occurrences, which provides a base for further
research.

6. Are humans the centre of the universe? If yes, what
is the role of other beings in this cosmic scene? And
if they have any role, how are they important?
Taking just insects alone, the number of living
species has been estimated at around three million,
and the number of individual insects may be a
million million million (Dawkins).

7. If there are no humans, the
planet will flourish at its best,
whereas if we remove other
beings from this scenario,
some working, or the other, of
the earth will be negatively
influenced.
For example, even termites
are essential decomposers,
and parasites are integral
components in shaping
community and ecosystem
structure.

8. Despite the harm caused to the planet by
humans, they are most significant in finding the
bigger purpose of existence.
However, irrespective of how insignificant it
seems, a living being is a living being which
grows, feels, reproduces and dies.
As in being alive, all beings share the same
consciousness, the spark that makes life.

9. Mankind is thankful to Darwin for discovering the
theory of evolution. He gave the world an
immensely important link to proceed onto the path
to knowing the history of mankind, of truth.
But as Harari wrote in his well-researched work:
Homo Deus, Darwin has deprived us of our souls. If
you really understand the theory of evolution, you
understand that there is no soul. This is a terrifying
thought.

10. In Darwinian terms,
'survival of the fittest' is
best understood as
survival of the form that
will leave the most copies
of itself in successive
generations.
If survival of the fittest is the only way to take
one’s race further, then we must ask ourselves,
what will we do when the world’s current
population of 7.7 billion reaches 9.7 billion in
2050, which could peak at nearly 11 billion around
2100? (un.org)

11. The life sciences doubt the
existence of the soul not just
due to lack of evidence but
rather because the very idea
of the soul contradicts the
most fundamental principles of
evolution. (Harari)
Image courtesy: Peymen Naderi
(artlimited.net)
Truth is that faded mirror of a belief
that we do not want to clear, for
clearing it may cause discomfort to
our way of life. In which we have
moulded everything according to our
wishes and comfort.

12. The famous Indian
scientist Jagdish Chandra
Bose known for many
inventions, including the
Crescograph, a device to
measure the growth in
plants, believed plants
‘feel pain and understand
affection’ just as much as
humans do (Gabriel).

13. Attributes of the soul as described in the Indian
philosophy of Jainism: based on Tattvārtha
Sūtra- a text on the nature of reality
Sentience is the defining
characteristic of the soul.
Souls are independent
entities.
Souls do not possess the
material qualities of touch,
taste, smell and colour.
The soul is never bereft of
sentience, however feeble
and indistinct this may be
in undeveloped organisms.
Source of this information: Tatia, Nathmal.
Ed. & Trans. Tattvārtha Sūtra: That Which Is.
To be cont'd

14. The worldly souls are classified as
mobile and immobile beings. Here
worldly means souls bound in the
cycle of birth, death and rebirth
because of creating continuous
causes and binding effects for the
future.
Directed by the various processes
of karma, the soul passes through
different states, which generate
changes in its nature.
The soul has an inherent capacity
that can affect how the bondage
ends, thereby affecting its fate.
ibid

15. Analysing evolution
through the eye of
consciousness, we
observe that evolution
happens not only in the
physical appearance of
a being but first at the
level of its consciousness.
That manifests itself in
the physical form.

16. Consciousness is first and is in no way
the result of chemical complexity but is
the cause of it (Jansma). With this
hypothesis, we can surely take the
research meant for the betterment of
mankind in a positive direction where
there is space and respect for all life
forms.

17. Can one tell when the gold is mixed with
the sand or when gold came into existence?
It has been there in one form or the other
since time immemorial.
In the context of the soul's journey, Indian
thinkers have mentioned that there is no
beginning to transmigration of souls from
birth to birth (Tatia).

18. However, there is an end
in the form of mokṣa or
liberation.

19. Time-Cycle in Indian Jain Philosophy
A cycle is hidden in each linear
occurrence, just like a linear pattern is
in each cyclic one.

20. Concept of evolution takes an interesting twist
when we see it through the lens of the time cycle
in Indian philosophy. According to Jain
philosophy, cosmic time is cyclic with no
beginning or end.
It is divided into two half cycles, namely: Utsarpiṇī
(ascending) and Avasarpiṇī (descending).

21. Each of these is again subdivided into six
time periods.
Where Utsarpiṇī refers to
the increase of height,
age, beauty, wealth,
happiness, knowledge,
wisdom and all the other
positive traits, with each
passing kāla, Avasarpiṇī
is the exact opposite of
that, i.e. all the mentioned
traits decrease with time.

22. The half cycles of ascending and
descending times are like parallel
universes, indicating events that will
happen in a gap of thousands of
years.

23. However, now let us probe into the future of the
present race of Homo Sapiens as described in
India's ancient wisdom.
In the text Tiloyapaṇṇatti, based on the
cosmography of the universe, the teacher
describes how future humans will degrade. The
teacher has also thrown light upon their way of
living.

24. According to India's ancient wisdom, after almost
17,500 years, humans will have the following way of
living:
Body: The height at
entering this period is
three or three and a half
hands (i.e. 3 to 4 feet
approximately).
Appearance: Their
appearance resembles
apes-like-creatures, and
their bodies smell bad.
Age: Their maximum age
span is 20 years. To be con'd

25. Residence: They do not have houses; they are
homeless and wander naked in the forests.
There are no trees, nor do they have livestock.
Physiological miseries: Often, the demeanour of
humans is beastly, ruthless, deaf, blind, dumb,
impoverished, and short-tempered. Their bodies
are filled with diseases. They do not have
families.
As time passes, their
height, age, and
strength decrease.

26. Food for thought
Now we can pause for a moment, look around
and observe. Did it make sense? Let us
consider a few examples:
Death has been
believed to be a
metaphysical happening
for ages. However, now
it has been started
seeing as a disease, a
cure for which has not
been tried.

27. The famous search engine company
Google is working in this direction. They
have recently launched “a sub-company
called Calico, whose stated mission is ‘to
solve death’(Harari).

28. Experiments in genetic engineering are at a pace
where the aim is to engineer the most efficient
and fittest possible children through the best
DNA of both parents, but the scary truth is that
if the DNA test discovers the dreaded mutations
– the embryo will be destroyed (Harari).

29. From the sugar we use
in our cup of tea to the
soaps we use, the
medicines we take, and
the food we eat,
everything is derived
from the animals
through violence.
Vegetarianism may
become a word found in
dictionaries in a few
hundred years (or even
sooner) from now.

30. Statistics of animal agriculture are fearful. Over
150 million animals are killed for food worldwide
daily, just on land. That comes out to 56 billion
land animals killed annually in the U.S. alone.
Including wild caught and farmed fishes, we get a
daily total of closer to 3 billion animals killed
(Harari).
The number keeps
increasing with
each passing day.

31. We pretend that we care for
mother earth and are worried
about the harm global
warming has caused our
planet. It is like killing
someone on the one hand
and pretending to be a
saviour on the other.
Humans seem to have
forgotten entirely that they
are in the shelter of the planet
and not vice versa.

32. Increased markets of
armaments,
pharmaceuticals and
Artificial Intelligence
pose a significant threat
to the future of
humanity. 'AI comes with
great opportunities and
threats that are difficult
to predict' (Putin).

33. Cybercrime and
Bioterrorism indicate a
scary future as well.
Bill Gates said that of
all the things that could
kill more than 10 million
people around the
world, the most likely is
an epidemic stemming
from either natural
causes or bioterrorism.

34. Standing at the top of the evolutionary
ladder, humans are responsible for
protecting nature and its constituents and
not exploiting them.
And in doing so, evolving further spiritually
because, according to Indian philosophies,
humans can attain godhood.
Conclusion

35. The Theory of Evolution and life's definition
as per science strengthen the thought of
alien-ness in our subconscious, for it is easier
to believe that we are some random
existences in this universe without a purpose
who have emerged from nothing and will
fade into the same.

36. Difficult is developing a probing mindset that
keeps asking and seeking the roots of our
existence.
Advancements in technology can work in two
ways, one, in helping humans to find the right
track and two, to deviate them from it.
Unfortunately, seeing the efficacy of the
technology, the latter seems more powerful.

37. By misusing natural resources tremendously, we
have abused mother earth irreparably.
Understanding the true essence of religious
philosophies may play an important role in
mending the right path, as they help understand
the ethics and strengthen them.

38. Religious philosophies provide us with logical
answers about the cosmology of the universe,
space, time, metaphysics, consciousness and
whatnot, but only if we try to understand
them with an open and analytical mind.

39. The theory of
evolution is
successful, but
only if we add
consciousness
to the recipe.
It is likely that
whom we
consider the
first man will
be the last
one.