Tattva Sangraha Vol 2

SR No.: 007609
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Kamlashila, Ganganatha Jha
Publisher: Oriental Research Institute Vadodra
Publication Year: 1939
Total Pages: 887
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 84 MB

Page 220

* EXTERNAL WORLD.
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no intervening space between atoms, hence they are said to be in contact.Under all these three views, when the Atom in the middle is surrounded by many other Atoms, if there were no diversity in its facings towards various directions, then,-as in the case of the Mind and Mental entities,-no aggregation would be possible, as Atoms have no parts. For instance, that form in which the central Atom would be facing one Atom, --if in that same form, it also faced other Atoms,-then, it would imply that all the surrounding Atoms occupy the same point in space, and no aggregation of them would be possible.
The argument may be formulated as follows:-Whatever faces the Atom of one form must occupy the same point in space, -as for example, the Atom lying in space behind the said Atom, or the House that stands facing another House and all the Atoms surrounding the central Atom stand facing that central Atom which has only one form ;-hence this is a Reason based on the nature of things. As a consequence of this, there could be no aggregation (of Atoms).
If, on the other hand, the central Atom faces the other Atom in another form, then as the diverse facings would be there, the Atom could not be one, being just like the Jar and other things.
Bhadanta-Shubhagupta has offered the following explanation :-" In the 'case of an entity, as differentiated from the 'non-existent' and the
non-entity', several Universals are assumed, but not in reality ; similarly in the case in question, as Atoms exist in several things, they are assumed to be many, but not in reality. Because there is no distinct Category in the shape of Space (or Direction) as posited by Kanāda and others; because if this Space were one only, then the diverse notions of East', 'West and the rest, would not be possible. It is only the Atoms that lie there one after the other which come to be spoken of as 'Space' or Direction'; hence when it is said because there is diversity of facings in Space', all that is meant is that one Atom is surrounded of several Atoms, -and not that tho Atom has parts".
This is not right. Because, if the Atom has no parts, it is like the Mind; and hence there cannot be any such diversity as its "upper' or lower' parts; and in that case there could be no 'surrounding' of the one by the many; just as there is none in the case of the Mind and Mind-products. Thus the surrounding' being, in reality, non-existent,-how cowd there be any existence of the Atom) in the middle of surrounding Atoms ;-by virtue of which diversity due to facings could be assumed ?
If, even in the absence of upper and lower parts, there were 'surroundings' by other Atoms,-then there could be such surrounding of Mind and Mental effects also ; and in that case, like the Atoms, these latter also would subsist in Space. If not, then the Atoms also could not subsist in Space. Hence it follows that there could be no aggregation of Aloms; this is absolutely certain.
The following might be urged "In the cuse of the Present Mindmoment' there is immediate sequence, in time, to the Past and Future
Mind-moments',-and yet the Present Moment has no parts like the