Jain Journal 1970 10

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 29

72
JAIN JOURNAL
Let us now examine and analyse the material bodies to see the structure of their substance. Most of the objects encountered by us in ordinary life are heterogenous, i.e., a mixture of a number of different ingredients though in some cases we need a magnifying apparatus to help us realise that fact. Milk, for example, is not as homogenous as it appears but is a thin emulsion formed by small droplets of butter suspended in a uniform whitish liquid while a piece of ordinary granite rock is composed of crystals of quartz, feldspar and mica, all connected together. In analysing the material bodies therefore, our first step would be to separate the individual homogenous ingredients forming the mixture.
But even after observations made with the best microscope, would we be justified in assuming that the so called homogenous substances at least will look the same no matter how finely they are divided ? And can they be always further subdivided into still smaller particles ?
According to the Jainas, the ultimate particle of matter, which they call paramāņu, is truly indivisible. It cannot be disintegrated by any means whatsoever. The sharpest weapon or the greatest electrical force is unable to split it. It cannot be burnt by the hottest of fire. It has no half portion and no middle portion. It has no length, no breadth and no depth. Its beginning middle and end are all identical with the whole of itself. It associates and combines with other paramāņus to form composite material bodies.
Two or more paramāņus combine and form a skandha. Thus a skandha is an aggregate of two, three, four upto innumerable and infinite paramāņus. The minutest visible aggregate must contain infinite paramāņus. Even the best available microscope would not make a skandha made of less paramāņus visible (or cognisible by any other sense organ).
A free paramāņu is intensely mobile. Its motion is both spontaneous as well as the result of an external cause. It sometimes (merely) vibrates, sometimes it vibrates and rotates or revolves or is propogated or radiated (in space) and has many other compound and complex motions. In other words besides simple vibrations there are many other compound and complex motions executed by a paramāņu. The maximum velocity of a paramāņu is very high. In a single instant or timepoint (samaya) it can travel from one end of the universe to the other. Its minimum velocity is such that it can move from one space point to an adjoining one in one time-point (samaya). As said before a paramāņu