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The Concept of Matter in Jaina Philosophy
secondly, only paramāvadhijñānin (onc endowed with transcendental knowledge) and Kevalajñānin omniscient) can apprehend it. Other persons can know it only by inference with regard to the mark of its effect. 1
It is to be noted here that these six divisions of Mattergrossest to finest can be reduced to the three divisions of Matter in the physical sciences in three states, viz. solid, liquid and gaseous. The remarkable feature in them is that the molecular structure is common to all the three states, whereas the difference lies only in the closeness with which the molecules comprising them are packed.
In a solid, the molecules are put closely together, so the intermolecular forces of cohesion are greater than the molecular tendency to disintegrate. As a result of this fact the molecules are held to each other with a strong force which enables a solid to maintain a definite shape and volume and to put a great resistance to any change in either of them. For this reason a solid possesses high rigidity, high volume and elasticity.
In a liquid, the molecules are placed less closely together than they are packed in a solid, so a liquid promptly submits. to any external force tending to change its shape on account of much smaller cohesion in it. Thus it has no definite shape, but it can maintain its volume and quite large force, though comparatively smaller than that in a solid to change it a little. 1. GS., JIVa., 603;
Bhūpavvadamādiyā bhaạidā aithūlathūlamidi khamdhā Thūlā idi viņneyā sappijalatelamādiyā—Niyamasāra, (22); Chāyātavamādīyā thūledarakhamdhamidi viyāņā hi Suhumathūledi bhaniyā khamdhā caurakkhavisayā ya, Ibid. (23); Suhumā havarti khaṁdbā pāvoggā kammavagganassapuno Tavvivariya khandbā aisuhumā iti purūvemdi, Ibid. (24)
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