Jain Journal 1988 10

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

Page 38

OCTOBER, 1988
the naturalsmell of a paramā nu in the state of its combination with another paramānu or paramānus. 126
With regard to tastes there exists in a paramāņu any one of the following five tastes, viz., bitter, sour, astringent, acidic and sweet.127 But there cannot exist in it more than one taste. The capacity of taste can be onefold up to infinitefold in it.128 A paramāņu can undergo transformation into the taste of another paramāņu or paramāņus by the process of combination. But its natural taste is not destroyed. On its dissociation from skandha (molecule) it again transforms itself into its natural taste. There is no mixed taste in it.129
As to the quality of touch there exists in a paramānu any two unopposing touches of the four touches, viz., cold-cohesive, cold-dry, warmcohesive and warm-dry. 130 Therefore, a paramānu may be either (1) coldcohesive or (2) cold-dry or (3) warm-cohesive or (4) warm-dry. There is neither heavy nor light touches in it because it is agurulaghu (neither heavy nor light) and therefore neither hardness nor softness in it, for these qualities are existent in gross molecule. Its capacity of coldness, warmth, cohesiveness and dryness is onefold up to infinitefold.131
Vibration and Motion of Paramāņu
Vibration (parispandana) is conceived by the Samkhya philosophy to describe every process and phenomenon of cosmic evolution. 132 Dr. B. N. Seal explains that “Parispandana sometimes stands for motion-molar as well as molecular, but more often for the subtle motion of atoms or melocules.”133 The term parispandana signified "whirling or rotary motion, a circling motion, e.g., vibration". All action, operation work (kriyā, vyapăra) is ultimately traced to this form of subtle motion lodged in the atoms or in the matter-stuff. 134
136 Paramanukhandasattrimsika by Ratnasimhasuri, p.1. 127 Bhagavati Vyakhyaprajnapti, sataka 18, uddesaka 6, sutra 631 ; sataka 20, uddesaka
5, sutra 668. 128 Ibid., sataka 25, uddesaka 4, sutra 740;
Pudgalasattrimsika by Ratnasimhasuri, pp. 5-6. 128 Paramanukhandasattrimsika by Ratnasimhasuri, pp. 1-4. 130 Bhagavati Vyakhyaprajnapti, sataka 20, uddesaka 5, sutra 668;
Tattvartha Rajavartika by Akalankadeva, bhaga II, pp. 491-92. 131 Bhagavati Vyakhyaprajnapti, sataka 25, uddesaka 4, sutra 740;
Pudgalasattrimsika by Ratnasimhasuri, pp. 5-6. 133 'vyaktam sakriyam parispandavat', Tattvakaumudi by Vacaspati Misra., 10. 133 The Positive Sciences of the Ancient Hindus, Dr. B. N. Seal, p. 121. 134 Ibid.