Dravya Sangraha

Author(s): Nemichandramuni
Publisher: Chandraprabha Digambar Jain Mandir Trust

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Dravya - Sangraha
Pradesas. Elfa Honti, are. 1710 A yase, in Akasa. sa Ananta; infinite. gê Mutte, in that which has form. fafat Tiviha, of three sorts. at Kalassa, of Kala. On Ego, one. u Tena, for that. At So, that. In Kayo, having body. Na, not.
25. In Jiva and in Dharma and Adharma, the Pradesas are innumerable, in Akasa (The Pradesas are) infinite and in that which has form (viz., Pudgala) (these are) of three kinds, (viz,, numerable, innumerable and infinite). Kala (Time) has one (Pradesha). Therefore, it is not (Called) Kaya.
COMMENTARY
Every kind of substance is made up of ultimate indivisible particles. The space occupied by one such particle is known as Pradesa. Now, the substances, Jiva, Dharma and Adharma have innumerable Pradesas. That is to say, the Pradesas of Jiva, Dharma and Adharma are beyond calculation. Lokakasa or the universe contains innumerable Pradesas and, as Jiva can fill up the whole of the universe by expansion, it is said to contain innumerable Pradesas. Dharma and Adharma also pervade all parts of the universe, as oil pervades the whole portion of a mustard seed. Hence these two substances also have innumerable Pradesas. Akasa is infinite, for it not only pervades the universe, but is even existent beyond it; hence its Pradesas are infinite. The distinction between innumerable and infinite Pradesas consists in this that, while the former have a limit, though it is beyond the power of even an omniscient being to count them, the latter is without limits,
It may be urged that, without knowing the number of the Pradesas belonging to Akasa, how can one become omniscient? Akalanka Bhatta has replied to this that, to be ominiscient, it is sufficient to know that these are innumerable.
When we say that Pradesas of such and such a substance are innumerable, we mean that in reality these are incapable of being counted by any one. We are not speaking this with reference to the ordinary human beings who have limited powers of perception, b with reference to all beings. Hence, it must be supposed that an omniscient being only knows that Pradesas of such substances are innumerable. This is also the case when we speak of the infinite Pradesas.