________________
.. (287)... 7 dhanus, 3 hasta and 6 angula. This avagahaná (height of body) becomes double as we go in the lower and lower hells and in the hell VII the highest avagāhana is 500 dhanus5 The relative strength of the intervening numbers of measurement units between the measurement equivalent to one part of asamkhyāta equal parts of an angula (the minimum avagahanā of infernal beings) and the measurement equivalent to 500 dhanus (the maximum avagahana) govern the relative avagahanā of the infernal beings inhabiting other hells. So, if an infernal being is superior or inferior to another from
1 the standpoint of avagāhanā, then it is so by
asamkhyāta or by
or by
1
or samkhyâta times or asamkyäta times. Thus from the samkhyata standpoint of avagāhanā, modes (paryays) of an infernal being are of asamkhyāta kinds.
From the standpoint of sthiti too, one infernal being is either equal or inferior or superior to another infernal being. When one infernal being is superior or inferior to another from this standpoint, it is so by
or samkhyāta times or asamkhyāta samkhyāta asamkhyāta times. In fine, from this standpoint also, the modes (paryayas) of an infernal being are of asamkhyāta types.
From the standpoint of black and other colours taken one by one, the modes of an infernal being are ananta because there are ananta degrees of each colour.
Similarly, from the standpoints of odour, flavour, touch taken one by one the modes of an infernal being are ananta. It is so because all these physical qualities severally have ananta degrees.
Thus the author has made it clear that the view that an infernal being possesses ananta modes seems quite plausible when we take into account the ananta modes of colour, flavour, odour, touch severally.
Similarly, the author points out that even from the standpoints of knowledge and indeterminate cognition the possible modes of an infernal being are infinite. It has already been explained as to why the modes of colour, etc. which naturally belong to matter are predicated of soul. And knowledge etc. are the modes natural to soul. And even from the abovementioned two stand points the view that the modes of an infernal being are ananta is proved legitimate, intelligible and plausible.
Āc. Malayagiri notes that these ten standpoints can be reduced to four, viz. dravya, kşetra, kāla and bhāva. Standpoints of 5. Prajñāpanātikā, folio 181 A
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
