ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 04

Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

Page 238

B. Pudgala or matter
Pudgala is a substance type that is concrete i.e. with touch, taste, smell and color attributes. It is active like jva. However unlike j va, its activity is not purposive to spontaneously result in its manifestation of its nature. It is thus affected to a large extent by jva and is capable of greatly affecting jva, due to its omnipresence. It is a major component of empirical soul and almost all knowledge acquired by empirical soul is through the use of matter as a means or the medium. Tattv rtha S tra (V.19-21) describes the benefits and uses of pudgala for j va as
Thus matter is of immense use to the j va. Identification of empirical soul and its activities are all due to matter associated with it. Even acquisition of knowledge by j va to rid / dissociate itself of matter is matter. Spoken words, activities of mind, body and speech, thoughts are all matter.
The entire universe and its contents are perceptible due to matter only as it is the only concrete substance. Its basic or distinguishing characteristics are to join with or dissociate from other matter (of same type or different) or to be attracted to jva and be of use to it. The word pudgala, a definitive term of Jain philosophy is a union of pud (to complete or combine) + gala (to separate) i.e. fusion and fission. Thus matter particles can combine to form lumps / aggregate (skandha) or the lumps can break to form smaller lumps and continue the process to reach the last stage i.e. parm u which is the smallest part which cannot be further subdivided. Some characteristics of matter are:
ar rav dmamanah pr pn pudgal n m
sukhdukhaj vitamara opagrah ca, parasparograhoj v n m
Matter in its primitive form is of just one type i.e. parm. It is the basis of all matter and energy. Both energy and matter can be interchanged. Light, Heat and other forms of energy are thus matter. Light is a skandha of matter. Its speed is said to be 186000 miles per second by Einstein. Parm u, as per Jains can travel at the highest speed of 14 rajjus per samaya. c rya Amrita Candra in Tattv ratha S ra says that the parm u has a natural tendency to move downwards versus of j va to move upwards.
Matter is of two types namely lump (skandha) and parm u. Lump is a collection of parm us and is perceptible. Lump /aggregate is further classified as of six types namely fine-fine, fine, fine-coarse, coarse-fine, coarse, coarse-coarse. Parm u even though with perceptible qualities cannot be perceived by senses and is classified as absolute (non divisible) and real like atom to give molecules. Skandha is further classified in six categories as follows:
Gross-gross:
Gross:
Gross-subtle: Subtle-gross:
Subtle: Subtle-subtle:
Lump, which can be broken in parts and the parts, cannot be lumped together again e.g. wood, stone.
Lumps, which cannot be broken in parts but divided and can be mixed together again e.g. milk, water etc.
Those which can be seen but cannot be touched or held e.g. shade, light etc.
Those which cannot be seen but cognized by some other sense organs e.g. words, sound, heat, odour etc.
Cannot be cognized by any sense organ directly like karma particles. Even smaller e.g. lumps of two or three parm us.
Matter has eight types (4 pairs of existent-non existent attributes) of touches (2 out of 4 present at a time in any parm u), 5 colors, 5 tastes and two smell types. Thus a total of 200 different types of aggregate (i.e. of different characteristics) can be formed. Science has to date found 102 types of basic elements.
Matter types which are of use to j va are called clusters/varga s and are of eight types namely k rma, luminous (Tejas), gross body (ud rika), protean body (Vaikriyika), conveyance body (h raka), mind material (Mano varga ), speech material (Bh a
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STUDY NOTES version 4.0