Doctrine of Liberation in Indian Religion

Author(s): Shivkumarmuni
Publisher: Munshiram Manoharlal Publisher's Pvt Ltd New Delhi

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THE DOCTRINE OF LIBERATION IN INDIAN RELIGIONS
(dhvani) is also a characteristic of matter. They accept it as a mode of matter.1
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The forms of pudgala or matter are chiefly two viz; indivisible elementary particles which are known as anus or paramāņus or atoms, and the aggregates of these particles which are known as skandhas or aggregates or combinations. 18 Anus or paramāņus are subtle and imperceptible, as these are the smallest indivisible material particles, though the contactual relation between sense-organs and atoms is always possible as touch, taste, smell and colour, the physical attributes, are always associated with the atoms. But the properties of hardness or softness and heaviness or lightness are not associated with atoms. These are the properties of the combinations or aggregates of atoms which are known as skandhas. The skandhas have gross forms and are subject to the process of association and dissociation.19 Skandhas having gross forms do not mean that these are always perceptible. Sometimes some skandhas are imperceptiple, 20 but become perceptible by the combined process of association and dissociation. For example, the skandhas of hydrogen and chlorine gases are imperceptible, but when each of them breaks and then combines the result becomes perceptible.21
The skandha is, however, an all round complete gross form (sayalasamattham)22 of the aggregate of atoms and has the material qualities of touch, taste, smell and colour being explicitly manifested. It is said to be capable of existing in any of the six forms, viz; (a) sthula-sthula (solid form like earth, stone etc.) (b) sthula (liquid form like ghee, water, oil etc.) (c) sthula-sükṣma (small particle, capable of being perceived, (d) sūkṣma-sthula (substance, appearing as solid), (e) sükşma (particle so small as to be imperceptible) and (f) sükṣma-sükṣma or ati-şükşma (an extremely small particle).23 The first four, of course, have gross forms and are perceptible, while the last two are not at all perceptible. The karma-pudgalas or karmic particles, in the condition of being bound up with self are sükṣma.
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H. S. Bhattacharya, Reals in the Jaina Metaphysics, p. 119. Tattvärthasutra, V. 25
Tattvarthasutra, V. 26
Ibid., V. 28
See M. L. Mehta, Jaina Philosophy, p. 121
Gommatasära, Jivakanda, 604
Niyamasara. 21-24; Gommaṭasāra, Jivakanta, 603.