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The Concept of Matter in Jaina Philosophy
mobility and immobility or vibration and non-vibration. In -the Tattvārtha Rājavārtika parispandana ( vibratory motion ) and aparispandana (non-vibratory motion) have been called kriyā ( activity) and pariņāma ( change or transformation ) respectively, while in the Pradipikāvștti of Pravacanasāra parispandana has been called kriyā (activity of action) and .each pariņāma (change=arthaparyāya-pariņāma ) has been stated tɔ be bhāva ( state or condition ).2 Siddhasena Ganin has called “parispandetara' prayogajaparyāya-svabhāvapariņāmas ( 'non-moving' voluntary modal nature as change).
PARISPANDANA (RESOLUTION OF ALL
PHYSICAL ACTION INTO MOTION) Dr. B. N. Seal explains that “Parispandana sometimes stands for motion-molar as well as molecular, but more often for the subtle motion of atoms or molecules.”4 The term “parispandana' signifies "whirling or rotatory motion, a circling motion,” but also simple harmonic motion, e. g. vibration. “All action, operation, work (kriyā, vyāpāra) is ultimately traced to this form of subtle motion lodged in the atoms or in the matter-stuff.”5 As for example, a cosmic vibratory motion is stated by the Vedānta.6 Ākāśa is "the first stadium in the evolution of Matter, which gives off Vayu, which gives of tejas 1. Parispandātmakaḥ kriyātyākhyāyate itaraḥ pariņāmaḥ,
TRV., V. 22.21. 2. Pariņāmamātralakṣaṇo bhāvaḥ, parispandanalakṣaṇa kriyā,
Pravacanasāra, Pradipikāvștti, II. 37, p. 182. 3. Dravyasya svajātyaparityāgena parispandetaraprayogaja
paryāyasvabhāvaḥ pariņāmaḥ, TS., Bhā. ȚI, V. 22, p. 350. 4. The Positive Sciences of the Ancient Hindus, p. 121;
molar (A)=having power to grind. (N) Back teeth. 5. The Positive Sciences of the Ancient Hindus, p. 121. 6. Sarvalokaparispandanam, Sankara,
Vide The Positive Sciences of the Ancient Hindus, p. 121.
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