Jain Journal 1990 10

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

Page 44

84
changing facet of reality (fact of origination, cessation) is subject to measurements and not permanent (dravya) facet of reality. This in fact is a focal dictum of Jain theory of measurement. Change aspect (paryaya) could be synchronic in the sense of difference in many things at an instant or it could be diachronic in the sense of transformation of things in time. Synchronic measure is possible either by counting or by spatial distance, area, volume measure where as diachronic measure is possible by time interval measures. The minimal spatially cognisable difference in things (paryāya) is the minimum unit of length/area/volume and the minimal cognisable transformation of things (paryaya parivartana) in time is the minimum unit of time interval. All other measures will be multiple of the minimum measures and hence would be samkhyāta (numberable) measures. Interestingly the minimum unit of space and time measure is constituted out of infinitesimals. The minimum unit of time, called avali, is constituted by asamkhyāta (innumerable) instants of time and the minimum unit of length or size, called ussanhāsanhiya, is constituted by ananta material monads."" It is significant that minimum measure of time interval is an actual infinity with cardinality of asamkhyāta number whereas minimum measure of spatial size an actual infinity with cardinality of ananta numbers. Why is it that such a distinction of asamkhyāta and ananta cardinality is drawn for minimum measures ?
Earlier we have shown that distinction between asamkhyāta and ananta was drawn on the basis of rigidly bounded and loosely bounded actual infinities. Is avali, equal to asamkhyāta moment, a rigidly bounded infinity whereas length a loosely bounded infinity? This is not the case but actual infinities of minimum units of measures are determined from the properties of infinitesimal moment and material monad. Length can be measured on the basis of spatial extension of material bodies only. As any conglomerate of material body is formed out of ananta material monads and even a space-point can contain ananta monads it is understandable that minimum length is actual infinity of ananta cardinality. For the minimum unit of time interval we will have to look into character of samaya. We have remarked before that samaya, infinitesimal element of time, is time taken by material monad to move from one space-point to another. This is a pragmatic relational definition of
66 Anuyogadvarasutra [sutra, 357], Dhavala [III, p. 65].
7 Ganitanuyoga [p. 446], Anuyogadvarasutra [sutra 344].
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