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( xxxvi)
2000 dhanūs=1 gāuya 4 găuyas = 1 joyaņa I süti-amgula = a straight line which is one amgula (length)
x1 paesa (breadth). (suti-amgula is replaced by sedhi-amgula in the cause of pamanamgula, vide sutta No. 361, and
also infra, 73) 1 payaramgula = 1 sūti-amgula X 1 sati-amgula 1 ghanamgula=1 payaramgulax 1 sūti-amgula
Our Text (sutta No. 334) gives some interesting details about the definition and purpose of the three kinds of amgulas which deserves notice in this connection.
The ayamgula is the breadth of the finger of different persons born at different times, their face being twelve ayamgulas and the whole body nine times their face. The standard weight of a human body is given as one dona (i. e. 512 pasalis or 1024 palas) or bhara (that is, 1050 palas). Superior men are 108 ayamgulas (in height), inferior 96 and the mediocre 104. The system of ayamgula is used for the purpose of measuring wells, ponds, parks, gardens, moats, ramparts, etc. (sutta No. 336.)
72. For the determination of an ussehamgula, our Text (sutta No. 339-344) starts from the definition of a material atom which is divided as subtle (suhuma, theoretical) and practical. The practical atom is composed of an infinite-infinite number of subtle atoms, and is yet not capable of being dissected by the sharpest razor or disintegrated by heat, however intense. An infinite number of such practical atoms make one ussanhasanhiya which provides the initial unit for determining the nature of an ussehamgula according to the following equations.
8 ussanhasanhiyās=1 sanhasanhiya : 8 saņhasaphiyās=1 uddhareņu 8 uddharepús=1 tasarenu
(vide Translation, sutta No. 344) 8 javamajjhas = 1 amgula (ussehamgula)
The system of ussehamgula is used as a standard for measuring the heights of the bodies of hell-beings, animals, human beings and gods (sutta No. 346).
1. Vide supra, 65, 66.
