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## The Nature of Dharma-astikaaya
This is a description of the nature of Dharma-astikaaya.
Dharma-astikaaya is without taste, color, smell, sound, or touch. It pervades all realms, is unbreakable, vast, and encompasses countless regions.
**Commentary:**
Dharma-astikaaya is inherently formless due to the complete absence of touch, taste, smell, and color. Therefore, it is also soundless. It pervades all realms and space, making it all-encompassing. It is unbreakable because it is composed of countless, inseparable regions. It is vast because it is inherently expansive in all directions. Although it is a single, unbroken entity in its essence, it is considered to encompass countless regions in practical terms.
**Further Explanation:**
This section discusses the nature of Dharma-astikaaya and Adharma-astikaaya. The seven verses in this section focus on these two concepts. The first three verses primarily describe the nature of Dharma-astikaaya, beginning with the phrase "Dhamm-atthikaaya-marasam." The following verse, starting with "Jah havaddi," focuses on the nature of Adharma-astikaaya. The final three verses, beginning with "Jado alog," discuss the merits and demerits of both Dharma-astikaaya and Adharma-astikaaya, emphasizing their existence and non-existence. These seven verses collectively explain the nature of Dharma-astikaaya and Adharma-astikaaya, providing a comprehensive understanding of these concepts.
**In summary:**
The first verse describes Dharma-astikaaya as being devoid of taste, color, smell, sound, and touch. It is all-encompassing, unbreakable, vast, and encompasses countless regions. The commentary further elaborates on these characteristics, explaining the inherent formlessness, soundlessness, pervasiveness, unbreakable nature, and vastness of Dharma-astikaaya.