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Transformation of Matter
315
gaseous and the process of the reverse change of state from the gaseous to the liquid and from the liquid to the solid state as explained in physics. According to the Jaina Metaphysics, the invisible matter becomes visible by the combined process of division and combination, and not by division, for “when a molecule of minute size splits, it does not give up its minuteness. Hence it is invisible. Again another minute molecule splits. It combines with another molecule, gives up its minuteness and attains grossness. Then it becomes visible."1
It is to be noted that in the gaseous state the particles of matter become invisible, while in the liquid and solid states they become visible. That is to say, some of the molecules are visible and some are invisible, though they are composed of even an infinite number of atoms.
1. Reality, p. 155;
Anantānantaparamāņusamudayanispādyo'api kaściccāksusah kaścidacākşusaḥ, tatra yo acāksusaḥ sa katham cāksuso bhavatiti ceducyate, bhedasanghātābhyāṁ cāksuşāḥ na bhedāditi ka kātropapattiriti cet ? brūmaḥ sūksmapariņāmasya skandhasya bhede sauksmyāparityāgādacăkşuşatvameva saukṣmyāparinataḥ punaraparāḥ, satyapi tadbhede anyasanghātāntarasamyogāt sauksmyapariņāmoparame sthaulyotpattau cāksuso bhavati, SS., 5. 28 (Comm)., p. 299.
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