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Theory of Pudgala
89
digama, a commentary on Tattvārth, illustrates this law by making some difference between the integration of the same quality and that of the different qualities. It presents the example of two wrestlers of equal strength in which neither will win. So iwo equally viscous atoms or equally dry atoms cannot integrate with each other. However, the Digambar tradition interprets the law to mean that there cannot be integration of atoms of the same degree even if one is dry and one viscous.
Moreover, two atoms of similar quality cannot integrate if there is only difference of one-degree between them. This is not the condition for the atoms of different qualities. It means if there is a two-degree viscous atom on one side and a three-degree dry atom on the other, they can combine together.
However, according to the Digambar tradition, integration only occurs between atoms, whether similar or different in quality, if their intensities differ by exactly two degrees e.g. a two-degree viscous atom can integrate with a four-degree atom, either viscous or dry.
One thing to be noted, here, is that in integration, the atom with equal or higher degree of viscosity or dryness transforms the intensity of the dissimilar atom to its own though it is not possible to predict which will transform the other. So far as similar atoms are concerned a higher degree raises a lower degree to its own level.64 Here also the Digambar traditions differs. Thus, in integration, the atom with greater degree of intensity transforms into the atom that is two degrees less to be like it.
In toto, clusters of matter are produced in three ways: by integration, disintegration and by a combination of integration and disintegration (see Table-4). While an atom is always produced by disintegration. 66
The following tables show the permissible or otherwise combination of atoms with that of different degrees of dryness and viscosity.
Table No. 6 Atomic Integration According to Shvetambar Tradition
Degrees of Intensity
Same Quality
No
Different Quality
No
No
No
No No No
One + one One + two One + three One + four or more Two or more + equal number Two or more + one degree higher Two or more + two degrees higher Two or more + three or more degrees higher
Yes
No No No Yes Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes