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Letter 16
105
Special Attributes & Modifications
of Pudgal Substance Letter 16
April 2, 1995. Dear Reena & Mona,
Blessings & best wishes. All along these letters we have been discussing the six main common attributes found in all the substances. Their detailed discussions have helped us to gain an overall knowledge of the basic, common nature of all the substances. But at the same time, it is very essential to know the specific attributes of these substances so that each substance which is very different from the other can be easily recognised separately on account of the special attributes it possesses and which are peculiar to that particular substance only.
Thus with the help of specific attributes only, we can recognize or differentiate particular substance. For instance, that substance which possesses special attributes of touch, taste, smell, colour etc. is the Pudgal substance. Therefore, all the objects which we can see, even our body, and all things perceived with the help of our sensory organs, also are all Pudgal substances We now realise that, that substance which has the capacity to know, that which can experience pleasure and pain is Jeev Dravya.
If we think more deeply and in the right perspective, we will reallse that whatever we know is not the substance or the attribute, but they are their modifications only e.g. we do not know the attribute of colour but we know its modifications as yellow, white, red, blue etc.
Thus, to have the knowledge of the attributes alone is not sufficient, along with the knowledge of the attributes, the knowledge of the modifications is also of prime importance. Because attributes can not be explicitly perceived as they are Avyakta ( POTTE) or they exist only in the form of power or energy. And only modifications are explicit. Jeev substance and its attributes of sentience, Bliss are inexplicit. But the modification of knowing or experience of pleasure or pain is explicit.
That is why we are going to discuss today the modifications of specific or special attributes. The modifications of Pudgal substance are constantly perceived by us through our sensory organs. We are familiar with them through these perceptions. Therefore, first and foremost, we shall understand and know more about the modifications of special attributes of the Pudgal substance.
In our letter no. 6 under the heading of 'Nature of Substance 'we have already discussed in details about each substance and the special
