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Preface
of its combination with another atom or molecule. An atom having higher degrees of qualities transforms another atom having lower degrees of qualities. Some molecule is formed by the process of combination of atoms, some by the process of dissociation and some by both the processes.
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The tenth chapter deals with the subject, 'Combination of Matter' according to some rules laid down in both the Svetāmbara and Digambara works. A combination of atoms occurs as a result of the chemical behaviour of their properties of unequal degrees, i. e. cohesiveness (snigdhatva), dryness (rūksatva) and cohesiveness-cum-dryness (snigdhatva-rükṣatva) which are inherent in atoms and molecules both having two to infinite units. A production of the material aggregates like dyad, triad, tetrad, etc. takes place due to a mutual contact and combination of discrete atoms, etc., endowed with the properties of cohesiveness (i. e. attractive force) and dryness (i. e. repulsive force). There take place two kinds of combination of cohesive and dry constituents of Matter, viz. similar (sadṛśa) and dissimilar, (visadṛśa), i. e. (1) a combination of a cohesive constituent with another cohesive one or that of a dry constituent with a dry one and a combination of a cohesive constituent with a dry one are called similar and dissimilar combinations respectively. The general rules of the combination of forms of Matter are as follows: (1) There does not occur a combination of the cohesive and dry constituents of Matter having a quantum of minimum properties. (2) There does not take place a combination of similar constituents of Matter, because of there being an equal quantum of properties. (3) Atoms having an equal degree of cohesiveness or dryness and being of the same kind, cannot combine with atoms of their own kinds. (4) There occurs a combination of similar or dissimilar constituents of Matter, having a difference in their degrees of cohesiveness, or dryness by two units more.
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The combination and dissociation of atoms and molecules always take place according to these rules. As a result of integration and disintegration of atoms there can take place infini
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