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--138 ] ARRANGED SERIAL AS SUBSTANCE-POTENTIAL 39 number of permutations being obtained by the mutual multiplication of the consecutive numbers beginning from 1 (one) (and ending in six).
This is the non-serial.
135. (Now the arranged serial is explained with reference to poggalatthikāya): Or, the arranged serial as substance-potential is stated to be threefold, viz.
(i) the serial from the first, (ii) the serial from the last, (iii) the non-serial.
136. Then what is the serial from the first? The serial from the first is (as follows): One single material atom, (then) a duad consisting of two space-points, (then) a triad consisting of three space-points ...up to...a decad consisting of ten space-points, (then) a body consisting of numerable space-points, (then) a body consisting of innumerable space-points, and (lastly) a body consisting of infinite space-points.
This is the serial from the first.2
137. Then what is the serial from the last ? The serial from the last is (as follows, which is the reverse of the above): a body consisting of infinite space-points, (then) a body consisting of innumerable space-points, (then) a body consisting of numerable space-points,...up to a decad consisting of ten space-points,...up to...(then) a triad consisting of three space-points, (then) a duad consisting of two space-points, and (lastly) one single material atom.
This is the serial from the last.
138. Then what is the non-serial? The non-serial (in the above case is obtained by) deducting (two) from (the total number of the permutations of the series of the collection of infinite numbers, (the total number of permutations being obtained) by the mutual multiplication of the consecutive numbers beginning from 1 (one) (and ending in infinite number).
2.
1. The total number of the permutations comes to 1x2x3X 4 X 5 X 6=720 of which
the first is the serial from the first, the last is the serial from the last and the rest are called non-serial. This arranged serial as substance-potential is possible only in the case of the poggalatthikaya and not in the case of the remaining substances, because the first three are each of them only one substance. The jīvas are many in number, but the number of space-points in each of them is equal. As regard the time-instant, it is one and without space-points. So the explanation of these substances as arranged serials is not possible.