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JANUARY, 1986
has eight varities.12 Out of which, palya and sägara are definitely time units and the rest six are length units. The simile-measure, therefore, should not be taken as sub-class of matter-measure of para-worldly type. Of course, it would be a different case if one assumes them to be matter units because they are closely related to matter. This will mean a regress point. In view of these discrepant facts, the Akalanka classification of measures seems to be superfluous and not important. A serious consideration is necessary on this point.
Basis of Measure of Length in Jaina Cannons : Space-point or Pradeśa
Jainas have independant reality of space like time. It accomodates all the realities in the Universe and it is the basis for their movements. It was included in the five astikāyas (reality with space-points) from the very beginning and hence its position is somewhat different from the time reality. The space has infiniteness, extension and omnipresence. It has no varieties of practical and real type like time. Nevertheless, it is assumed for practical purposes that the space occupied by atom is known as pradeśa or unit space-point. The extension of space is denoted in the form of these space-points. The infiniteness of space is due to its infinite number of space-points. These are the basis for lengths or distance units. These are also the base for quantitative descriptions of the cannons. These are termed as ākāśānu13 or space atoms like matter atoms. These are the measure of minimum length and thus form its basic units. As the space has extension, it could be 2- or 3-dimensional also. Hence the basic unit of pradeśa also forms the basis for area and volume units.
It has been seen that time and distances are independant of each other still the length units are described in cannons as correlated with time units. The larger units of time, palya and sāgara, have been defined on the basis of yojana, length unit. Though B, TP, RV, and JDP follow this tradition, the ADS and SK deal length units independantly.
Measure of Length in Bhagavati and Other Jaina Cannons
The Jaina cannons like B, ADS, SK, TP, RV, TS, JDP and others written between 100 BC to 12th. century AD contain descriptions about
14 Ibid., p. 207. 13 Acarya Kundakunda, Pancastikayasara, Bharatiya Jnanapith, Delhi, 1975, p. xxi.
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