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5. 12-16]
The Positioned Space of Substances
The potency resides in the material substance. Due to this difference, all parts, whether small or large, of the pudgala (matter) skandha (aggregates) are referred to as aavayava (elements). Aavayava means a separable part.
An atom, being a form of pudgala, is also concrete; however, it is indivisible because it is the smallest part of pudgala, akin to the space of akasha (ether). The dimension of an atom is the smallest, thus it too is an indivisible part.
Here, the assertion of there being no segments or parts of an atom is made in terms of substance (unit), not in terms of its attributes. In terms of attributes, the existence of parts is indeed conceived because within a single atom, there are many attributes like color, smell, taste, etc., all of which are aspects of that substance's nature. Therefore, even a single atom is considered to have multiple bhava-parmanus (attribute atoms).
Question - What is the difference between the space of dharma, etc., and the atoms of pudgala?
Answer - There is no difference from the perspective of dimension. The area in which an atom can exist is called a province. Since the atom is an indivisible part, its corresponding area is also indivisible. Hence, both the atom and the area termed as the dimension are equivalent from a dimensional standpoint; still, the distinction lies in the fact that an atom can be separated from its constituent skandha, while the areas of substances like dharma cannot be separated from their skandha.
Question - The term 'ananta' in the ninth sutra suggests that there are many infinite areas of pudgala, but how is the meaning of infinite-infinite areas derived?
Answer - The term 'ananta' is general; it denotes all types of infinite numbers. Thus, it conveys the meaning of infinite-infinite.
7-11.
The situated space of substances is in the lokakasha (space of the universe). 12. The situated space of dharma (righteousness) and adharma (unrighteousness) is throughout the entirety of lokakasha. 13. Pudgala is partible in specific provinces. 14. Living beings are in countless portions. 15.
The aggregation and dispersion of provinces is like the flame of a lamp. 16. The situated substances remain in the lokakasha. The states of dharma and adharma substances are throughout the entire lokakasha.