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(xxxix ) infinite number of atomic conglomerates. While the upper conglome. rate is not broken up, the lower one cannot be torn asunder. The upper conglomerate is broken up at a moment which is different from the moment when the lower conglomerate is torn up. A time-instant however is still more subtle. It is not possible to demonstrate its nature by such examples. An innumerable number of such time-instants are said to make one avaliya (sutta No. 367) which is the unit of time to start with for the purpose of practical measurement of time. In this connection our Text gives the following equations (sutta No.367):
numerable number of avaliyās = ūsāsa=nisāsa üsäsa+nisāsa of a person in perfect health=pāņu 7 pāņus = thova 7 thovas = lava 77 lavas=muhutta or 3773 üsāsas (+ nīsāsas) = muhutta 30 muhuttas=ahoratta 15 ahorattas -- pakkha 2 pakkhas= māsa 2 māsas = uũ 3 uũs = ayana 2 ayanas=samvacchara (vāsa) 5 samvaccharas =juga 20 jugas = 100 väsas (samvaccharas) 84,00,000 vāsas = puvamga puvvamga x puvvamga=puvva puvva X puvvamga =tudiamga tudiamga x puvvamga=tudia tudia x puvvamga = adadamga
adadamga x puvvamga = adada. This list is followed by apapamga, etc. up to sīsapaheliyā, and after this the counting is made by means of similes which are explained, along with the purpose it serves in the sutta No. 368-398.
76. The similes are twofold, viz. paliovama and sāgarovama, the former again being of three kinds, viz. uddhāra paliovama, addhāpaliovama, and khettapaliovama. The uddhārapaliovama is further divided as suhuma (conceptual) and vāvahăriya (practical). Paliya means a circular store of a specific size. It is filled up with hair-tips which are then taken out each at one instant. The number of instants required in the
1. For the size of the store, the nature of hair-tips, and the process of filling up,
vide Translation, sutta No. 372, 374; also 379, 381, 394, 396.
