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Atomism
:
135
A study of Atomism of all Indian systems of thought reveals that Jaina Philosophy is the advocate of the atomic theory like the Nyāya-Vaišeşika. Nevertheless, the nature of paramāņu conceived in this school of thought is not identical with that of paramāņu of the Nyāya-Vaišeşika. But it compares well with the nature of Praksti of the Sāņkhya, for paramāņu of this philosophy is transformable like Praksti of the Sāṁkhya on this ground paramāņu of Jainas changes into many forms like earth, water, fire, etc., just as Praksti of the Sāmkhya is the material cause of many effects, such as, earth, water, fire, air, etc. It is not admitted by Jaina Philosophy that the material atoms like earth-atoms, water-atoms, etc., are always basically of different classes. It is to be observed that paramāņu of the Jainas is finer than paramāņu of the NyāyaVaišeşika, but it is upmanifest like Praksti of the Samkhya. Anantaparamānuvāda (Doctrine of infinite ultimate atoms) of Jaina Philosophy is not far from but nearer to the doctrine of infinite plurality of Prakstis of the early Sāṁkhyal (with regard to the plurality of purusa), i. e. “each being attached to a different puruşa (self)". 2
CONCEPTION OF ATOM IN WESTERN
METAPHYSICS AND PHYSICS
The concept of atomicity together with its antithesis continuity was propounded by the Greek philosophers. Atomicity may be roughly described as representing indivisibility, and continuity by divisibility respectively. This early conception of atomicity compares well with the Nyāya-Vaiseșika view of 1. Darśana and Cintana, pp. 129-130,
(Jainadharma and Darśana). 2. Yuktidipikā, p. 169 (Samkhyakārikā Vstti), Vide Avidyā,
P. 46.
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